Star Wars KOTOR: Way of the Force
by Dante-Raven
Summary: KOTOR: During the Jedi Civil War.. When rumours of an ancient and powerful artifact begins to attract the attention of the Jedi and the Sith alike, the hunt for the mysterious artifact will plunge the Galaxy further into war. Finished! Thank you all!
1. Prologue

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…

**Star Wars**

**Knights of the Old Republic**

**The Way of the Force**

**It is a dark time for the galaxy as the Republic has been thrust into the midst of war. The Republic is falling, the Sith are rising: chaos is everywhere. From the ruthless actions of Darth Malak, countless Jedi are fighting their darker brethren to defend the stagnating Republic. There are heroes and villains on both sides. **

**The battles of hundreds of worlds have left many lives lost, corruption goes unchecked. In the Outer Rim, there lay rumours of an ancient holocron, which could provide the finder of such an artifact unparalleled power. In the hands of the Jedi, balance to the Force could be restored and perhaps bring about a chance to rebuild a dying galaxy. In the hands of the Sith, however, the Force could be wielded to an unfathomable extent, allowing the galaxy to be plunged further into the darkness.**

**On an Outer Rim planet, two Jedi embark on a mission to follow the ruminations of the Holocron and retrieve it, with the determination to restore peace and justice to the galaxy…**

_Prologue_

It was dark, the light was fading quickly and he was still running through the caverns. Using the Force to keep his strides up and to increase his speed further, he knew it was only a matter of time until he would inexorably be forced to fight his pursuers. He could feel the pull of the Dark Side, he could feel it growing and gaining on him, slowly but surely. It would only be a matter of time until his former Master managed to regroup with him, but in the next few minutes Jedi Knight Dante Ravenmoon would be forced to fight against his darker brothers.

_Hold on Dante_, a calm, wizened and familiar voice said. _I am right above you, remember: there is no chaos, there is harmony_, the voice said to Dante. The familiar lines from the old Jedi code, a mantra with which to allow a Jedi to center oneself. It wasn't long ago that Dante ascended to the rank of Knight. It also wasn't very long when they were sidetracked and were forced to split up in order to cover more ground. _Only to run into that trap_, he thought smartly. Dante continued to run out from the caverns of the ruined temple on a nameless planet. The stone pillars, broken statues and piles of debris marked the once noble Jedi Temple. _Or was it Sith?_ He shook his head, the entrance-now his much sought for exit-lay just 5 meters from him. Feeling the gap between his pursuers and himself close much more rapidly now, Dante reached out for his lightsaber and found it in his right hand. Leaping into the air-and out of the ruins--, came the familiar _snap-hiss_ of the lightsaber, the weapon of the righteous Jedi and ruthless Sith alike, and Dante swung around to strike at his pursuers with the knowledge and comfort of the terrain to his advantage.

His pursuers, two Dark Jedi adepts, ignited their own lightsabers and clashed against the Jedi Knight's weapon. The three engaged in a dangerous dance, movements flowing together in deadly harmony, striking, thrusting and quick parries. Feeling the Force all around him, the Dark Side threatening to overwhelm the Light, Dante spun and managed to hold his sapphire blade in a lock with both of his adversaries in front of him. Feeling their anger radiate from them and the lack of control the adepts had, Dante swung about and kicked his left opponent across the face, leaving him winded and out of the fight for now, spun out with his blade to renew his attack at his now single-and much more vulnerable-- foe.

_Blast! Where is that ship! I can't hold these two off forever and I can feel more on the way._ Dante continued his strikes not relenting for one moment and continued to drive his lesser opponent down. "This doesn't have to end in bloodshed. Turn back now, no one has to die," Dante said to the Dark Jedi, very calmly and trying to sound reassuring, while trying to keep the sound of desperation out of his voice. Too many Jedi had turned their backs on the Order and on their fellow brothers and sisters. Too many had died and it seemed there was no end to this war. The way things were going, it wouldn't be too long before the traitor Malak would rule over the broken Republic. At the way things were going, it wouldn't be too long before someone replaced Malak himself; after all, this was the same 'Jedi' who turned his back on his former friend, and _Sith_ Master, Revan.

The adept growled at Dante and continued to strike back with his own lightsaber. _Guess that's a no_, he thought candidly. Dante parried and managed to drive back the adept each step coming closer to an edge. The area had been subjected to wear and tear for at least a hundred years. The second adept slowly rose, noticing his ally was slowly being driven back. Feeling the hate swirl within himself, he jumped towards the Knight only to watch a viridian blade come crashing down into his face.

"Told you that I'd be here," smirked the Jedi Master Alec Ness. The wizened man appeared no more than 60, a discernible scar running from his right cheek towards his right pectorals and shoulder blade: the discernible scar of a lightsaber. With his white trimmed beard and a seamlessly perfected hair style slicked back, he could pass for being an aristocrat had he not been wearing the trademark robes and wielding the lightsaber customarily attributed to the Jedi Order.

"A little less talk and a little more help would be appreciated, Master!" Dante called as he managed to daze his opponent with blunt hit between the eyes with the hilt of his saber, before driving it into the chest of the adept. The stunned adept appeared fearful, he began to realize the grim darkness and weariness of death take over and he fell.

Smiling lightly, but only with the genuine concern for his former Padawan, Alec replied, "seemed to me that you could handle him. After all, the dogs of war will continue to cry for more bloodshed before this is all over."

Looking at the old man, they both switched off their lightsabers and began to look around for their ship and couldn't help but notice the destroyed bridge, the cliffs and nothing that seemed to connect them with a way out of the ruins. "Well, it would appear that we're without a means of leaving this planet, Master. Surely they should have been here by now. I can only imagine what our smug friend might be doing right now." Dante continued to look around, still feeling at unease and noticing that his right glove was torn, exposing his light brown skin.

Their pilot of a freighter they had purchased from a junk dealer, an old light-class freighter with about as much capability in it as the likelihood of a rancor dancing to the tunes of a tone-deaf Bith, happened to be a former Republic commando-turned-Sith assassin-turned-.. something. Unfortunately, this universal soldier happened to have one problem: he can't turn down a tempting wager, especially if it's more than credits at stake. This contributed heavily to his stationing as the Jedi chauffeur. However, his skills were indeed useful, perhaps unparalleled. He also was the team leader of his group of commandoes on the mission with the Jedi. "Sekula Mumba, where did you go this time?" Dante mumbled under his breath. In times such as this, patience was indeed a virtue.

"Relax, Dante. He'll be here when the Force wills it and not a moment later."

Looking at his esteemed former Master, Dante couldn't help but wonder if he too felt the Dark Side emanations coming towards them or if the Force was ebbing within him. Age had a tendency to dull the senses.

"I feel them too, relax. We will be gone long before they arrive." Even after all this time together, Alec was continuing to teach to his former apprentice and newly ranked Jedi Knight. Dante looked around at the ruins and felt its own emanations. Obviously the ruins were rife with the Force, but the only reason why neither of them-nor their Sith counterparts as well-couldn't tell who once occupied the temple was because the Force wasn't a fountain of the light nor the dark; it was merely a fountain of the Force.

Sighing, Dante closed his eyes and once more immersed himself within the Force, reflecting on days past and possibly days yet to come. He was the youngest of his brothers, his two older brothers being identical twins and both of them dead, in some form or the other. In his black clothing, he seemed a lot more unconventional than most Jedi. Even Master Alec dressed in darker colours-well indigo to be precise, but what's wrong with wearing black? Whilst Alec wore robes that were very in tune for a Jedi, Dante wore black, slightly form fitting clothing, a long-sleeved shirt, with his gloves. The only different colour in his attire was gunmetal grey: his bracers. They were special-- as he had picked them up in Tatooine while searching for a bounty hunter who was notorious for the deaths of several Jedi-- as they contained a cortosis weave. It deflected lightsabers and had saved him more than once. Feeling once more in tune with the Force he felt the sharp spikes of the Dark Side rising towards both he and Master Alec. He had always been perceptive, even as a child, and more so now due to the crystal in his lightsaber, which he bonded to and which greatly channels the Force through him. _Another place in which we have yielded no results. Has the Council begun to lose its wisdom? Is this a fool's errand? Is there no such Holocron which may provide the answer to restoring balance to the Force and the Galaxy? I wonder.. _Suddenly Dante's line of thought was cut off from great dark presence that had arrived before their ship.

The three Dark Jedi ignited their sabers. There were _four_ distinct crimson blades. The Dark Jedi in the center of the three appeared to wield two lightsabers and happened to take an interest in Dante. She was human, that much was obvious, though her skin-tight clothing left a lot less to the imagination, though it included a reason to desire her. Her raven hair reached her up to her neck, though some of it covered her right eye; her eyes revealing a venomous green eye on her left and a cold gray eye on her right. Her blades were shaped slightly as if both blades should connect adjacently and form a notorious double-edged lightsaber. Her left arm was left sleeveless and it showed her toned muscles and a tattoo of daggers around her bicep. Her left hand was gloved. Her entire right arm was covered. Smiling lustily and with hungry eyes, her cold but soft voice simply stated, "you two take the old man. I have this one." With a grim but determined expression, both Alec and Dante ignited their lightsabers, a silvery green blade and a sky blue blade with a barely visible swirl around the center of the blade itself. The acolytes made their war cry and met the Jedi blade for blade.

As the female Dark Jedi lunged in towards her would-be prey, Dante strafed out to the right and spun to meet one of her blades. They began their own dance of blades and continuously struck out, searching for weak spots and finding none. She smiled, a cold and almost sadistic feeling to it and she continued to strike out, one blade quickly replacing the other, only to be blocked and parried by this single blade wielder. He was good; really good.

Dante continued striking and blocking, searching for that opening he knew would come: dualists almost always rely on their blades to get them through a fight. He blocked her scarlet blades coming in at both sides, only to spin around and feel a shot at his ribs from a kick. He continued, unabated and spun his blade closer to her, almost as a shield and to let her think she could thrust at him. She took the bait. Her blades spun out to the right, Dante punched her with his right fist, his left arm holding the blades at bay; and she was pushed back, slightly closer to the ledge of the cliff face.

Alec saw both of them come in at him from both sides. He spun and quickly deflected both blades and continued deflecting and spinning and preventing them from continuously striking at him. He was on the defensive, but it appeared-- that unlike the last ones-- these were highly trained fighters. They were relentless in their strikes and continued working together. Too bad they weren't fully Sith, otherwise it would have been much easier to make sure one kills the other and attack the one left standing. Alec knew that he could yet win this fight. These two were young and didn't have the knowledge of fighting enemy Jedi and other would-be assassins in the 45 years he had lived fighting. When one is 60, you tend to pick up a few tricks. The two Dark Jedi continued to strike, aiming for his midsection. Alec continued to deflect and spin and found what he was looking for. He quickly spun in the reverse direction, deflected and Force-pushed one of the acolytes towards the ledge. He returned in a blur towards his opponent he left unchecked and continued driving him towards the interior of the ruined Temple in the hopes of reducing the young fighter's mobility. The second dueler got up and hurried to catch up in the fight.

The female acolyte very much enjoyed the fight, her lip bleeding and tasting her own blood she enjoyed the thrill of the fight with this particular Jedi. There was something to him, something very familiar though. Almost as if she'd seen him before. His eyes, dark brown, almost black, radiated a strong will. After she killed him, she'd enjoy taking his saber and searching for someone to be an even worthier opponent as she would remember this fight for a very long time.

Dante continued to parry her shots and swiftly kicked her to the ground. He felt a strange disturbance in the Force. There were multiple ripples, but they were coming for him. Sekula. _Just in time_, he thought bitterly. He continued fighting the female Dark Jedi, her movements were fluid, she was definitely skilled and it was more than likely she had killed some of his other brethren. She looked once more in his eyes and knew this was the one person whom could very well destroy her. Bringing her blades to block a downward slash from Dante, she formed an X and brought her blades to lock and be much closer towards Dante than he would have cared. The looked each other in the eyes, his passive yet strangely aggressive expression vivid on his face, her aggressive expression and lustful smile on her soft lips.

"You're good. Too good, which is why it's a shame you have to die now," she flatly said to him. He stared back at her, his eyes revealing the fury within him. "Not today, it's your turn to go, witch." Shoving her, their blades lost their hold with each other and Dante continued to strike at her. She felt his anger slowly rising, his urge to destroy her. He was flirting with the Dark Side and she enjoyed feeding off it. She blocked his blades once more, forcing Dante to lose control of the fight and be struck right across the face, falling flat to the ground. "This isn't over yet, Lover." She grinned and laughed. She jumped off towards the ruins to join her two comrades with the hopes of killing the older one. Dante groaned and tried to get up and catch up to help his former Master.

Alec continued fighting and noticed his second opponent return to the fray. The Jedi Master felt himself touch with the Force, become a part of the flow and immerse himself in this fountain. He continued to deflect their attacks and he managed to trap his first quarry into a pit, dropping debris into the pit covering the acolyte. Suddenly a frenzy of attacks came towards him as he was pitted against the sinister female and the other companion. This time he pushed them towards the entrance, in hopes of getting them back into the open: he had trapped himself. _Dante, get up! The ship is coming for you! You have to go now!_ Alec knew he wouldn't come out of this one alive. But if Dante could make it back, then not all hope was lost. He immersed himself once more into the Force and continued blocking and striking heavily at them, hoping the change in his fighting style wouldn't allow them to adapt. He continued fighting, reciting the Jedi code in his mind, while remembering the moments he enjoyed in the past. How excited Dante had been when he was 12 and built his first real lightsaber. How he had remembered the time Dante used the living Force, saving both of them from certain danger with the dreaded Rancor. How Dante had been more than a son to him over the years. Alec recanted the memories in his mind and one thing was clear: he could never have been more proud than ever to have trained Dante to be the man he was now. Even as the female acolyte bore her lightsabers down on him, Alec truly knew what it meant in the mantra _"there is no death, there is the Force"_. Even when the last thing he heard was Dante screaming, "NOOO!" and he felt fire envelope him.

Dante immediately ran towards the entrance, but was stopped when more debris started to fall. Something wasn't right. He heard his Master call to him through the Force, but it seemed the old man wanted Dante to go without him. _Fat chance, Old Man. You're coming with me._ He thought to himself. As he made his way to the entrance, he gaped at the scene in front of him. He saw the female acolyte run Alec through with her blades, he saw his Master-- the man who could be considered his Father-- die in front of him. He screamed, "NOOO!" But even he didn't hear it, all he could feel was the death of Alec and the last thought from the former Jedi Master: _I will be with you, always_. He couldn't hear anything; he kept replaying the death of his former Master in his head, it was all surreal. He didn't hear the engines of the freighter, the _Thunderbolt_, that came to pick both Alec and he up. He didn't register the explosion of the entrance hallway of the Temple from the missile the freighter fired. The shockwave of the explosion threw Dante back, throwing him off the cliff face. The last thing he knew before he blacked out was that Alec had died…

There is no Death, There is the Force 


	2. The Order

_The Order_

_"Dante." The voice called to him. "Dante." The reassuring voice that had always been there. _

"_Yes, Master?" The young Padawan asked. "You're falling asleep again. Are you sure you don't want me to take you to your room?" The voice asked Dante. "Could I stay with you? I'm scared." The little voice asked the older, wiser and calmer person. _

"_Of course," the older voice replied. The sense of a smile was upon his lips. A very young Dante leaned closer to the form of a wiser man: Master Alec. Of course, the term 'Master' was more than a formality between the two. 'Master' was synonymous with 'Father' or 'Mother'. Holding young Dante, Alec merely smiled and hummed a tune. In the Code of the Jedi, attachments were forbidden, however the bond of a Master and an Apprentice was a unique attachment: it was seen as a necessity. More contradictions in the Jedi Order young Dante still didn't understand. He hoped he never would. Holding the Youngling, Alec carried the child in his arms to the bed that had been his own. He enjoyed spending time with the child and was secretly happy that he had been chosen by the Council to be the Master of Dante. The boy's brothers, the twins Nathaniel and Xavier, were much older. A difference in 7 years between them and Dante. They were still Padawans, however, it would only be a handful of years-no more than 4 or 5-- until they both reached the tests for Knighthood. Even though Exar Kun had left his mark in the galaxy, Alec was convinced more than ever that the trying times were over, though not all of the darkness within the galaxy had dissipated. Carefully putting the boy in the bed and leaving him to sleep as he went to meditate, Alec couldn't help but pause to smile at the innocence of children. _

"_Master?" Came the weary voice of the child. "Don't leave me, please." _

_Alec turned to the child, hushing Dante to sleep and softly said, "never for a moment, my young Apprentice."_

"Master?" The voice was calling to him. It wasn't that comforting voice. It was something else entirely. A voice of desperation? "Master Dante? Are you all right? Master?"

Dante slowly opened his eyes to see a concerned Republic soldier looking over him. Dante moved to rise, feeling slight pain all over his body and a little annoyed at the soldier from waking him up. "Yes, I'm fine," came a tired voice and slightly pained voice. Something didn't feel right. Suddenly his eyes shot open. _Master Alec!_ Getting up and looking around, the soldier moved back and noticed Dante's frantic look. "Where are we? Where's Master Alec?" The soldier looked back at Dante and felt really uncomfortable and sympathetic.

"He… uh.. he's dead, Master Ravenmoon. I'm sorry."

The words hit Dante with profound force. _Dead?_ The memories came flooding back towards him. _Dead_. Memories of the Master making his last stand, valiantly struggling with his opponents while buying time for Dante's escape. Memories of the Master impaled with the two lightsabers of the female Dualist. Feeling pained and having to sit down for a moment, Dante groaned as the truth began setting in. It was his fault Alec had died. Had he disposed of that witch a lot sooner, he and Alec would have been on the _Thunderbolt_. Had Mumba not been late, both of the Jedi would have been alive.

He shot a look to the soldier, the field medic. _What was his name? Gors._ "I'm all right Lt. Gors. Where's Captain Mumba?" Gors looked at him. His sandy hair slightly covering his eyes.

"Captain Mumba is currently evading the enemy right now. They came out of nowhere." He said, slightly worried now because it was only at that moment he remembered they were in the middle of a firefight. "Ah, Master, that's why we were, uh, late."

Dante merely nodded, realizing that these men were fighting to get to them. It seemed it was very likely that both groups, the Jedi and commandoes, would have been lost. As he got back up from the bio bed, he made a move towards the cockpit, leaving the medical bay. He heard several shouts of "whooo!" It appeared the other commandoes were in the turrets mounted on the ventral, dorsal and aft portions of the ship, fighting for their very lives and enjoying it. _Only commandoes would enjoy this,_ he thought bitterly. _No, wait. The Mandalorians too._

He made his way into the cockpit to see streaming red lasers everywhere. It appeared that they had stumbled into a gundark's nest. As he sat down, he saw Mumba slapping buttons and evading close fire and missiles, all of which seemingly appeared to be aimed for the freighter. The bald, ebon coloured man enjoying the piloting and the fight that was ensuing still had time for formalities. "Glad to see you awake, sir. Thought we had lost you too." It was convenient Mumba had been focused on piloting at that very moment because Dante had felt stung when he heard those last words.

"Can you get us out of here?" He asked the older pilot.

In what appeared to be a rich Coruscanti accent, Mumba replied, "Of course, sir. But it appeared we have stirred up a gundark's nest."

"All right, set a course for Dantooine. I have to report this startling chain of events to the Council there." _Or hopefully we could return to the Jedi Council in Coruscant_, he silently wished.

Dodging many of the lasers aimed for the boxy, rustic-coloured freighter itself, the _Thunderbolt_ made its jump to light speed, leaving the chaos far behind them.

* * *

After the _Thunderbolt_ had landed in the courtyard on Dantooine, three Jedi stood waiting to greet Dante. As the ramp lowered itself to the ground, Dante walked off the vessel with post haste and bowed respectfully towards the three Jedi. "Masters, I have important and, albeit, unsettling news for you. I must speak with the Council quickly."

The Jedi in middle of the three merely bowed and stated simply, "yes, of course Master Ravenmoon. It is sad to have lost Master Ness. Truly we have stumbled on to a much darker path if we have lost one such as him." The Master towards Dante's right, a green coloured Twi'lek merely bowed and spoke. "I had known Master Ness since we were mere Younglings. It is truly sad to have lost him. Come, you must rest, we will call you when the time comes." Dante bowed and made his way towards the enclave to find some rest. And hopefully have some more answers.

Watching the interaction between the 4 Jedi, Sekula looked grave. He knew that the loss of Master Ness truly spoke of the countless Jedi that have been lost throughout the war. Sighing, he went to his quarters on the freighter and packed up his gear. _Time for this stuff to get replaced,_ he thought to himself. _We'll be on this mission once more and there will be little time for rest._ Looking at his other comrades pack up replaceable gear, he noticed the how weary Gors was. The poor soldier was tired, young and it seemed only a lifetime ago that he was full of excitement when he was selected for this mission. Finally, he cleared his throat and the commandoes looked at him.

"All right boys, I have a few things to say. First," pausing to look at each of them, "we all know we did the best we could to get to our comrades, only to have lost Master Ness. It couldn't have been helped, we were all outgunned and it was a miracle we got them, let alone escaped alive." They nodded, each looking grim. They had all enjoyed the company of the older Master and he had imparted to each of them wisdom at some point. One thing they all agreed on was that aside from Alec's charisma, the old man certainly had humour and fighting prowess. No one would dare to fight someone such as him. The fact that he was killed in combat was a shock to someone as skilled as he was. Though death was slowly becoming more commonplace, each and every soldier found that each time they were not in the fight; they were only biding time until they would die.

Sekula took a deep breath. _Here it comes._ "Secondly, it's been a pleasure fighting alongside each and every one of you. I am not one for speeches, so here it goes: if you want to resign or transfer your post, let me know. I won't hesitate to do it for you; each of you deserves a fate less cruel than this." Closing his eyes, he exhaled steadily, calming himself. When he opened his eyes, he noticed they were looking at the ground. "From water we're born, in fire we die." Sekula slowly speaking the code of the Army of the Republic. This had been a mantra to each and every soldier in the Republic. At the same time, they all spoke the final phrase: "We seed the stars."

* * *

As Dante strode into the Council room, he was impressed at the group of respectable-and legendary-Jedi Master. On one end of the Council sat Master Vrook, the stern and wise Master whose exploits had placed him on the Council in the calm meadows of Dantooine. On the right hand side of the 'hard as nails' Master sat another one: Master Kavar. This man appeared to be no more than his mid-to-late 30s, yet his prowess was not to be underestimated; a mistake many a foe had made. However, of all the powerful and nearly mythical Masters that had attended and formed the Council of the Enclave, none other deserved greater respect than Jedi Master Vandar. The green shaded, elfin creature sat in the center of the Council. He was truly the stuff of legends. It is believed by many Jedi-- including Master Vrook-that Vandar might actually be immortal; perhaps a descendant of a race long extinct; or, as some theorize, one of the very first groups of Jedi which hailed from the planet Ossus. Of course, Master Vandar had never fully admitted those rumours. Yet he never denied it either. It appeared that if anyone would survive the chaos wrought upon the Jedi and the Republic, it would be the wise, yet somewhat senile Master Vandar.

"Greetings, Master Dante. Truly a shame it is, to have lost Master Ness," the ancient creature said. Feeling the cold knot within him tighten, Dante swallowed and tried to push down the emotions which raged within him. He was in his traditional Jedi robes, along with his cloak, as his unconventional attire would undoubtedly raise scrutiny amongst the renowned Masters.

"Yes it is, Master. His death was a great blow to our Order," the young Knight replied.

"Ah, one of the many brothers lost we have in this war. The power of the Dark Side, underestimate it, do not." _When did Vandar decide to speak in this manner? Last time Master Alec had spoken to him, Master Vandar seemed to speak normally. Could he truly be going senile?_ He quickly stifled his thoughts, feeling that perhaps the wiser Master might have sensed him. Smiling at the incredibly younger man, Vandar merely said, "Old we may be, but failing we are not."

It was Vrook who finally intervened, speaking the thoughts that had been on the minds of the other Masters. "What is it that you needed to report to us, Jedi _Knight_?" the old man asked, stressing the last word. "You did come a long way from where you were last. What is so important that you couldn't have used the Holonet to report to us from your location?"

Dante, ever the stoic Jedi, calmly addressed the group of Masters. "It would appear that the Sith have been one step ahead of us every time we have reached a planet. Their presence at our last location was not merely a coincidence. I know it would eventually be a matter of time until Darth Malak would send out a party to search for the Holocron; however, they were at _that_ specific planet, within that Temple we investigated. The crew assigned with us has proven, exemplarily, that they are capable. Our largest issue is that we are undermanned and outclassed against our opponents." _There, it had to be said._

The Council appeared unmoved by what the young Jedi had said. And it appeared that no one was considering the subtle request. It was a moment longer before Master Vandar-of course-spoke up. "So Master Dante, request more soldiers and Jedi do you? Suggest removing valuable resources and sacrifice more lives, hmm?"

Feeling somewhat ashamed of the elder Jedi's inference, Dante quickly tried to clarify what was needed for a mission so great. "Master Vandar, I do not suggest pulling people and allotting resources that are greatly needed on the frontlines. I only request that I take a few more Jedi and soldiers, as well as refit certain things on the vessel in which we travel for our journey. I know that the Order is desperately needed to continue the fight as more of our numbers dwindle, however, I also know that if this Holocron _does_ exist, the Sith will be waiting to strike at us with everything at their disposal." He paused to look around the Council, around the semi-circle which had surrounded him, before he continued. "Including, our numerous fallen brothers and sisters. They will not stop until they have allowed the Darkness to consume the entire galaxy."

Several Masters had looked at each other, though it was Vrook who spoke first. "I sense that you may be walking down a very dark path, young Jedi. Would you risk taking that path and pulling many more of your brethren down with you?"

Staring calmly into the eyes of the fabled Master, reciting the Jedi code in his mind, Dante spoke softly, "Master, if it were to come to that, then Malak has already won. The path I would take, would be mine alone. I would ask _no one_ to join me in that endeavour."

Vandar closed his eyes for a few moments after Dante spoke. The rest of the Council looked at each other and it was clear that some weren't sure what to make of the star-pupil of the late Master Alec Ness. After a few more moments of the Council murmuring amongst themselves and Dante still waiting calmly in the center of the semi-circle, Vandar opened his eyes and spoke. "Hard to see the future is; the Dark Side clouds everything. Take a fleet with you to scour the Outer Rim, you shall not. To add more to your number, though, we shall confer. Rest young Jedi, the grove you should go, find peace within yourself, you must."

Knowing that the conference had come to an end, Jedi Knight Dante Ravenmoon bowed respectfully to the Council. "Very well, Masters. May the Force be with you." The young Knight stood erect and left the room to seek solace and perhaps some rest. Too much had happened since the loss of Master Alec. _If only you were still here, Master_, he thought to himself. _Only you would have convinced the Council of our dire situation. It will only be a matter of time until Malak beats us to the Holocron_.

After Dante's departure, Vandar looked around and before he had risen to leave, he merely said, "truly the dark times have come."

Master Kavar spoke quickly, "has it truly, Master Vandar? Revan and Malak thought they could win the against the Mandalorians 4 years ago; they returned as conquerors, yet they were slaves to the Dark Side. Young Dante on the other hand; he has much of his old Master in him. He may yet find a way to restore balance to the Force."

Master Vrook looked at the younger Jedi and replied, "but at what cost? And have you considered that Dante's similarities to Alec might yet prove to be his undoing? The man was undoubtedly wise, yet he was also headstrong. That might have proven to be his downfall." Vandar refrained from leaving the room a moment longer, only to observe and hear the troubled minds of his colleagues. It was the enigmatic Zez-Kai who spoke the final thought.

"Perhaps it might be the will of the Force to usher in a new era of darkness, if only to find a way to bring about its own balance both within and without the galaxy and of itself."


	3. The Empire

_The Empire_

Swing. Parry. Thrust. The sound of the dismembered droid echoed throughout the room. Its power core had overloaded after absorbing two direct strikes from its opponent. _Just like you taught me, eh Zan?_ He grinned, relishing the thought of upcoming battle and enjoying his training. Two more droids, with Vibroswords leapt out to meet the man clad in the black armour. _Excellent, more scrap parts for the engineers._ He spun his blade, arcing it towards the head of the first unlucky droid, striking it down with efficient speed and ruthless vigor. The droid's companion took the chance to strike the dark man. Anticipating the downward slash on his right, the man spun around, coming face to face with the droid and deflecting the strike away from him, while making sure the droid could not retract it back towards him. _Droids, only they could be so stupid_, the man thought. He grinned once more, though of course, no one could see it.

His helmet covered every trace of emotion, making sure not to allow even the fiercest of opponents to look the man in the eyes. His helmet was entirely black, shaped similar to a pre-Republic Fencer's helmet, though in place of a would-be mesh screen was a black visor. Without his cape, he still made a fearsome opponent, his entire jet-black suit, was in fact armour which rivaled even Darth Bandon's-- Lord Malak's new apprentice-- armour. Comprised of fiber-mesh, along with a slightly lighter alloy than durasteel plating, his armour held no trace of colour except for the shade of jet-black.

Bringing his blade to bear on the droid's sword arm, the ground clanged with the sound of the forearm and the sword. He looked up and noticed the droid staring at the stump. It had only realized moments _after_ that it had lost its arm. _Typical_, he thought in disgust at how primitive the droid's functions were. As relentless as these droids were on the battlefield against mere Republic soldiers, it was certainly no match for a Jedi, let alone a _Sith Lord_. Feeling himself in tune with the ever-raging river that was the Force, he felt the swirl of the power core of the droid and lifted the pathetic piece of technology off the floor. Once more, the droid had only realized its predicament moments _after_ it had already begun. Sighing, the Sith slowly began spinning the droid for mere entertainment.

Hearing the door open, the Sith Lord deactivated his blade and turned around to face a man who appeared to be no more than 21 and seemed a tad bit too aristocratic for the Sith's own tastes. The young man had his dark brown hair slicked back; light skin, a rich dark red tunic, made of the finest silks and other materials which could hint at it as some sort of minor armour. With a cape shouldered on his left shoulder, the young man was evidently proud and had his family not been a major financer of the Sith Empire's war against the Republic, he would have found himself dead a lot quicker than waiting for it. Even though he was merely a Dark Jedi adept. Ignoring the floating droid, he cleared his throat and spoke clearly to much more powerful and fearsome Sith in front of him.

"Excuse me, milord, but we have received a classified message from Lord Malak himself."

_Ah, so he's from Vjun_, thought the tall and annoyed Sith. "Route it to my meditation chamber then, _adept_," the distorted voice replied to the Vjunian.

_Hmph, this pathetic excuse for a Revanite should choose his words more carefully around a man who has the ear of the Dark Lord himself_, thought the younger man. Everyone knew that many of the Dark Jedi who were loyal under Revan chose clothing which shrouded them in mystery like the former Dark Lord of the Sith. Some of their counterparts, on the other hand, found this a pathetic attempt to curry the favour of a Dark Lord, though there was no doubt that some of the followers required environmental suits to keep them alive. Aside from that, the followers quickly earned the disreputable nickname 'Revanite,' something which many Commanders kept their mouths silent about or like their predecessors, suffer the fury of a Sith. "Yes, milord," the young man answered. As he turned and begun to leave, he paused for a moment and turned back to face the Sith Lord. "My Lord," he quickly spoke, to gain the attention of the Sith who was turning to leave. "I believe we have a new passenger who is eager to see you. Her name is Lotus Xa."

_Her? She should be dead. No matter, I'll see to that, if she angers me_, the dark-armoured man thought. The Sith, betraying no emotion replied, "Very well. After I have finished with Lord Malak, send her in."

"As you wish, milord." With that, both men went their separate ways. Behind the Sith Lord, parts of the floating droid clanged to the floor of the training room.

As he entered the chamber, he moved towards the holoprojector that contained the very important message of the Dark Lord himself. The image came alive, revealing none other than Darth Malak. The blue-tinted display didn't reveal the blood red robes and the grey single-shouldered cape the Dark Lord wore. The image however, did make sure to reveal his pale skin, rectangular tattoos on his skull and the voice synthesizer which wrapped around his upper jaw and covered his neck-- or most of his head. The 'Revanite' remembered how the current Dark Lord had lost his jaw-- and for the most part, his ability to communicate orally for a time. It was on the _Leviathan _itself, Malak's current flagship, where the duel between Revan and Malak took place. It was to see who was to become the Master, and to see who would grudgingly accept the role of Apprentice. Revan had given himself into the dark teachings of the Sith and unlocked the power that was the Force Rage. He became a nearly unstoppable juggernaught, forcing Malak to block and to keep up the pace. The fight was over in 2 minutes. Revan spun his sapphire blade in his left hand, knocking Malak's emerald blade away from his body and in one fluid motion, Revan brought his sapphire blade back at Malak's jaw in a backhand stroke which severed the jaw of the hapless Sith. It was there, in that one moment, that Revan had proven he was more deserving of the title "Dark Lord of the Sith." It was a shame that Malak had decided to be bold in that Jedi raid and use the _Leviathan _to open fire on Revan's flagship, usurping the title from the _true_ Master. The _current _Dark Lord looked at the lesser Sith and spoke in his mechanical and synthesized voice.

"Ah, greetings Darth Seth. It is a pity we have not had the pleasure of meeting face to face. However, there may come a time when that shall become possible. For now, we shall dispense with the pleasantries. There lay rumours of a holocron. An ancient artifact. It is believed to have been from the Ossus Academy itself, one of the _original_ teachings that can allow us the ability to unlock and wield the true nature of the Force. This artifact could very well turn the tide of the war, where we can leave the Republic crushed and in ruins, while the Sith shall rule the galaxy once more. I had dispatched a small scouting group towards the Outer Rim. Unfortunately, the Jedi were there to meet the group. It would appear that only a handful of disciples were left, including the prodigal student herself, Lotus Xa." Darth Seth looked at the image of the Dark Lord as he paused, and began to realize what exactly Darth Malak had in store for him. "You are to seek out this artifact and recover it. Take only your ship and 4 others of your own choice. As for Lotus Xa, she shall become your apprentice, Lord Seth. Debrief her and see to it, Lord Seth, that you do not fail. I do not forgive failure as easily as Lord Revan once did." With that, the holoimage disappeared and Seth was contemplating the information he had received.

_Hmm, it would appear that on one side, I have a mission where failure means excruciating death; however on the other side, I get to kill Jedi and am granted the chance to earn the favour of Darth Malak himself._ Before the Sith could finish his thought, his chamber doors chimed. _Lotus_, he thought wryly. "Enter," came the distorted voice of the lesser Sith Lord.

The doors hissed open and the prodigal student herself entered the chambers of the much feared Darth Seth. Clad in a form-fitting black leather outfit, her left arm bare-- with the exception of daggered tattoos, gloved forearm, a kolto bandage patch around her tricep and on her right cheek--, she proved to be an attractive sight. Much more pleasant to the eyes than was the Vjun aristocrat. Her eyes flared the traditional colours of the Jedi, but her demeanor and the aura around her, spoke otherwise. _She _exudes_ the Dark Side_, he thought to himself. He couldn't help but notice her uniquely designed lightsabers hanging from both sides of her perfectly shaped hips. As enticing as she might be, he certainly had no desire for her. Especially since the most attractive Sith is by far the _deadliest_ of them all.

"It is good to finally meet you, Lotus Xa. I know all about your training and rise through the ranks in the Sith Academy. Especially since you had caught the attention of Uthar, himself. Tell me, young disciple, what do you know of the ancient artifact?" As she merely nodded to him to acknowledge his greeting, she couldn't help but feel a bit nervous.

_Revanite_, she thought to herself. _It is hard to determine what he feels, but at least he is straight to the point._ Clearing her throat, she replied to him in a formal tone, befitting of someone in her rank. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Seth. I am proud to be serving under you. The artifact is only referred to as the 'Unifier.' It apparently contains the lessons to unlock this unknown aspect of the Force and allow the wielder a greater immersion into the 'flow' of the Force with which to become more powerful than ever. It is also seen as the _true_ nature of the Force." Unknown to the expression on his face, Lotus shoved down that creeping and tingling fear building in her spine, and waited for Seth to speak. After another moment passed by, Seth finally spoke, the uncomfortable feeling still rising in Lotus' spine to her stomach now.

"Ah, yes. The _Unifier_, the name of our much sought-after prize." The disciple looked at the Sith Lord quizzically.

"My Lord?" Seth merely looked at her direction, maybe at some distant and possible memory, but she was not sure if he was looking _at_ her.

"Nothing, my… _apprentice_." There it was. Lotus now knew that Seth was to be her Master, and they were to embark on the journey to find the ancient Jedi holocron: the Unifier.

It was apparent now that Seth was looking at her, waiting to hear her own reply before he would send her off to commit to the task at hand. "It will be my honour to become your Apprentice, my Master," she replied, lowering herself on her right knee.

"Rise, Lotus Xa, you will serve the Sith Empire and in turn, you shall earn the right to become a true Sith, yet." The cold and distorted voice beckoned her to listen once more when she rose and handed her a datapad. "Go to the Bridge and inform _Adept_ Vincent Baroque to pull the _Inferno_ and our task force to head for the Outer Rim." She bowed, accepting her honour, title and the command of her Master.

"Yes, Master." Before she turned and left the room, she revealed a third lightsaber. The lightsaber had the generic contour shape of any lightsaber, however the pommel was bulbous so as to prevent the weapon from slipping out of its wielder's hand in the middle of combat. The handle was a non-reflective silver; it also had a rubber handgrip which ran around and towards the round activation plate itself. In contrast to the bulbous pommel, the handguard was a subtle rounded edge which ran around the top of the blade and branched into the emitter itself.

As Lotus handed the blade to Seth, she bowed and said, "a present, Master. This was from the Jedi Master who had led the incursion." Seth took the lightsaber and carefully inspected it. He wrapped his fingers around the hilt and ignited the blade. The blade was viridian. Seth looked at the blade more closely now.

_I know this design_, he thought to himself. _Who was it that used a lightsaber such as this? It was certainly a Master, I am sure of that._ Still puzzled as to who the blade's previous owner was, Seth looked back at Lotus and deactivated the blade. "A worthy opponent, no doubt. You are to be commended, for there have only been a few Jedi Masters to wield a blade with this type of handle. He must have been powerful indeed." Lotus bowed and took care not to mention the other two Dark Jedi who had _helped _her eliminate the Master.

"Yes, he was, Master. He slew two Dark Jedi before I had the chance to fight him." She also took care not to mention that _she _killed those same two Dark Jedi.

"Most impressive, Xa." She merely bowed once more. She left as soon as Seth dismissed her and left to his chambers.

Seth moved towards the center of his room, in order to meditate and to push aside the memories _and _injuries of the past. _You were wrong Zan, the Dark Side is more powerful and it will only grow_, he thought to himself. He immersed himself into the Force and allowed himself to meditate as the _Inferno _and the task force left the heavily protected Star Forge and made for light speed.

_

* * *

The planet was lush with the Dark Side. The planet was__ the Dark Side. "Why!" A tired, desperate voice yells. His eagerness to pull him from the lure of the Dark Side was great. _was 

_"Master Zan, this is over. I am now the Master." The old blue skinned Twi'lek shook his head. _

_"This can't be! You are a Jedi Knight! Revan turned on us all! You and I have the chance to stop this! The planet is twisting your outlook on the Jedi! We're not enemies, remember your training!" _

_His light brown skin was drenched in sweat. His white robes were stained and covered in soot. The trees around them were burning intensely. His short cropped hair was soaked. Their fight had been long and arduous. Revan had made his allegiance with the Dark Side and so did the young Knight. "No, I am no longer a Jedi. They are weak and old. We are the _new _Order of the galaxy! The strong shall inherit the galaxy, the weak shall be purged and I will not betray Revan! You are my Master no longer, Zan. I don't wish to kill you, but I will if you interfere!" Zan shakes his head, his burgundy robes are tattered and torn. He is tired. He will fall, but not without a fight. _

_"I will not stand by and watch you fall to them. I will not watch the Jedi Order destroyed! I will stop you!" _

_The young man raises his voice in contempt and gives himself completely into his hatred. "Then you shall not live long enough to watch the Jedi fall!" _

_Their blades strike, sapphire on sapphire. The young man twists his arms to block and strike at the old Twi'lek. The Jedi Master strikes back, his attack is measured and well timed. Finesse won't hold over against raw power. The young man brings his blade to bear over the head of the old Master. Zan blocks and dodges the renewed fury of strikes his former comrade, the Jedi Knight turned Dark Jedi, has unleashed. Zan loses his right lekku and falls to the searing pain brought out from the Sapphire blade. He is on his knees and sees his headtail in front of him, twitching slightly. _

_"I win, Master Zan." Zan sees the bloodlust in the former Knight's eyes. His fear and horror only feeds the Dark Jedi's anger and bloodlust. The Dark Jedi's blade slices the Jedi Master's head right off and deactivates his blade. As he turns to leave the pyre, he sees a silhouette from the corner of his right eye. He confronts it. _

_"You're going nowhere. You will answer for your crimes," says the silhouette. The person comes closer to reveal an exact reflection of the Dark Jedi. Both Jedi ignite their sky-blue blades and leap from the ground to attack each other... _

_The Force shall set me free_


	4. Acquisition

_Acquisition_

Dante moved as quickly as he could to the Council's Chambers, his dark cloak sweeping across the floor as rapidly as he moved. After 2 days of refitting the _Thunderbolt_ and sparring with fellow members in the Jedi Enclave, Dante felt he was ready to leave for his mission once more. He was aware that the Council knew everything he did, pertaining to the holocron, as he had told them after his meditation in the grove, where the Council once more declared that their decision will be known at a later date. Though he was anxious to know the decision the Council had made now, he also knew that whatever its outcome, he had to make do with what he had. As he entered the Council room, he saw 5 Jedi Masters: Vrook, Kavar, Dorak, Vandar and the mysterious Master Phaete. Unlike his human and elfin counterparts, Master Phaete was an Iktotchi. Just around the same height as his human counterparts, the Jedi Master had two down-sweeping horns which made him look even more fearsome. His demeanour always remained grim and near expressionless.

"Greetings Masters," the young man addressed to the Council members. After Dante had bowed and the other Masters returned the gesture, the young man spoke up. "I trust that you have made your decision about my request?"

Vrook looked to Vandar and spoke first. "Yes, we have made a decision about your request, young Ravenmoon. But first, we have some disturbing news. Darth Malak has begun to set his sights at larger and more promising targets. Dantooine may be one of them. It is of the utmost importance that you leave as soon as you can. Dantooine may no longer be a haven for you and other Jedi." The young man squared his shoulders and inhaled deeply, fearing what he was about to hear.

It was Vandar who looked up at the young Knight and spoke. "Your request, we've granted. Take 5 companions, you will. Jedi Knights, Frreral and Vorik will accompany you, along with their Padawans. Find them in the training room, you will." Dante began to bow, but stopped abruptly.

"Master Vandar, did you not say 5 companions will embark with me. I would rather not question your wisdom, but, who is the fifth?"

The aged Master only smiled and said, "the fifth companion, Master Phaete shall be." Phaete merely bowed when Vandar mentioned he was to join Dante's group.

_What is going on?_ the young man wondered. _Is this no longer my mission?_ Before he could speak, Kavar was the one who spoke up.

"This is still your mission, Dante. However, Master Phaete has merely expressed his interest in joining this mission, so as to see what this holocron really is. He will be an observer, nothing more."

"Very well, Master. Master Phaete, it will be an honour to have you on this mission." The Iktotchi merely bowed and left the room to gather his belongings.

After a moment's pause, Vrook looked at the young Jedi and said, "Dantooine may be in danger, but you must carry on with your mission. The galaxy may depend on it. As for Master Phaete, do not mind his presence. Perhaps having a Master along with you may increase your chances of finding the artifact. And perhaps you will also benefit from his teaching and presence alone."

_As if, _thought the young man. Dante bowed and turned to leave, ready to seek out his companions, when Master Vandar spoke up.

"Dante, another task for you I have."

He turned around and asked, "yes, Master?"

"Another companion shall be joining you. Waiting for you in the training room, Knight Mesa is. Many Jedi are to go with you, perhaps, but beware the Dark Side. Clouds the future it does."

The Knight bowed and left the room, eager to seek out his companions before he would find the entire Enclave going with him. _So many Jedi along in this mission. Maybe Malak is a much larger threat than anyone had previously anticipated,_ he thought to himself. _Whatever threat Malak may pose to Dantooine, the Masters are eager to move as many of the younger Jedi away from battlefield as soon as possible. I don't blame them._

* * *

Sekula came back aboard the _Thunderbolt_ and made sure all systems were online and working while initiating the pre-flight checklist. The vessel hadn't really changed, though there were two new ion engines, an advanced shield generator and new personnel gear. There were two crates of high grade thorium explosives and a few new blaster rifles. He left the cockpit and moved towards the cargo bay and looked at the gear. 3 heavy repeating carbines, 6 heavy blaster pistols, 3 disruptor pistols, a bandolier of ion grenades, sonic detonators, frag mines, frag grenades, thermal detonators. _Whoa, thermal detonators?_ He thought to himself. _I wanna get my hand on these babies. Thank you Sirry, I could kiss you!_ Of course, if Sirry had heard him, she would have force-fed him the detonator. As he looked around, he spotted a few plasma grenades and 3 suits of Corellian powered battle armour, a Zabrak combat suit and even-- _Mandalorian armour?_ Puzzled, Sekula walked towards the armour and found that, in fact, it _is_ Mandalorian battle armour.

Of course, that armour was famous around the galaxy. 4 years before the Jedi Civil War, there was the Mandalorian War, where the warrior-like Mandalorians engaged in a ruthless, no-holds-bar strife that engulfed the galaxy and almost destroyed the Republic before the Jedi-- before _Revan _and _Malak_ stepped in to rally the Republic military and emerge victoriously. Of course, after that, Revan had turned on the Republic and declared his own war against the galaxy.

Looking at that armour, he couldn't help but wonder if that was for him. _It seems that it could fit me. Everyone else is either shorter or smaller than me._ As he looked around, he moved closer to the Mandalorian armour. Continuously looking around, he inched closer to the armour and picked it up and made for his quarters. Several minutes later, he came out, in a silvery plated walking armoury, sans the helmet, of course.

It seemed that when Sirry or Hex had picked up the armour, the helmet had been missing and there had been burn marks around the neck piece. _Lightsaber_ burns. The merchant had said that the armour had just arrived, sold to him by a Padawan and a gruff looking man with a rather mean looking repeating blaster carbine. There also happened to be a female Cathar with him.

It didn't matter to Sekula, of course. The armour worked just fine with or without the helmet. As he made his way to resume the pre-flight checklist, he couldn't help but be overcome with delirious laughter.

* * *

As Dante entered the training room, he was overcome with what he saw: a blue-skinned Twi'lek moving expertly with her two lightsabers, both of which were sapphire. Her movements were blurred. She had kept pushing back her sparring partner with each spin, twist, thrust and deflection she made. For every strike her opponent made against her, the Twi'lek made four. As her blades kept moving, her opponent, a young green-skinned Twi'lek, had to surrender. She deactivated her single violet blade.

"I yield, Master Mesa." The blue Twi'lek, Rin Mesa, deactivated her own blades and bowed to the young Padawan.

"You fought well, Tun. You must make your Master proud."

Smiling, the Padawan turned to walk towards her bench where she grabbed a canteen of water.

Dante walked up to Rin as she grabbed her own canteen. "Greetings, Master Mesa," the young man said to Rin.

"Ah, Master Ravenmoon. Your reputation precedes you. I am sorry to hear of the loss of Master Ness."

Dante nodded, reminiscing about that painful memory. _I'll always be with you, Dante_. Those were the last words Alec had said to him through the Force, before he had fallen to the blade of that witch.

"Well now, Dante, what is it that you needed?" She asked him, puzzled by his intentions. There were a few who had eyes upon her, yet she had never seen Dante around. In fact, she had never seen him before this very moment. She only knew about him through the exploits of both he and Alec.

"Well, Rin, the Council has requested your presence to join me in the search of an artifact-- you wouldn't happen to know where Masters Frreral and Vorik are? They are to accompany us as well."

She pointed towards a corner where a Wookiee and a blindfolded man were dueling. "They would be over there. We could go and meet them if you'd like..." she let that question linger.

Twi'leks, more accurately _female_ Twi'leks, are seen as sexual objects and toys throughout the galaxy. It didn't help that many of their fellow Twi'leks from their homeworld, Ryloth, sold a lot of young Twi'lek girls as slaves to the organized crime syndicate, The Exchange, and other gangs. Luckily, she was saved from such a life by a Jedi who eventually became Rin's Master.

"Very well. After you, Rin," replied Dante. As they walked towards the large Wookiee, Master Frreral, and his companion, the blind-folded man, Master Vorik, both Jedi deactivated their blades. Lon Vorik, was actually Miralukan. A Miralukan was a blind Force-sensitive species that was one of the few near-humans. They hailed from another homeworld, but had a colony closer to this section of the galaxy: a planet known as Katarr. Though physically blind, they could see things due to their connection with the Force itself. Several people had called Lon Vorik the 'blind swordsman,' since he was one of the few finest blademasters that were on Dantooine. "Greetings Masters, my name is Dante. I trust that the Council has spoken to you?"

It was Vorik who nodded and spoke first. "Yes, we know of the mission. The 'Unifier' seems to be a bit of a sacred artifact to the Sith and Jedi alike." Dante nodded and turned to Rin.

"As I was telling you before, Master Rin, the Council has requested that we leave for the Outer Rim and continue our search for the artifact. Master Vandar personally requested that you join us."

She nodded and looked at both Frreral and Vorik. "Your Padawans will have to come along as well. Where are they, right now?"

"They're meditating at the grove. I'll get them and perhaps then we can leave. I'll meet you at the ship, Masters," growled Frreral. As the giant Wookiee left, Dante led the way for the other two to follow him to the dock.

Lon spoke first, "who else will be joining us? I know about Commander Mumba and his 'ragtag' commandoes, but did the Council specify anyone else?"

Dante sighed, remembering the reputation that often accompanied Phaete. On the lighter side, his apprentice, Tun Kira, was a much liked person. "Well," the young man started, "the, uh, Council requested the presence of a Master." Their eyes still focused on Dante, the young man lowered his head as the words left his mouth. "They request that, uh, Master Phaete, join us." It was hard to determine the expression on Vorik, but Rin's expression said it all. Sighing, Dante said, "yes, I know his reputation for being worse than Vrook-- if there is such a thing. But I would say that at least having another Jedi, let alone his apprentice-- whom I know you have a special attachment to, Rin--, is something more along the lines of a blessed gift."

"Or a mixed blessing," snorted Lon.

* * *

When all of the Jedi gathered near the docking ramp of the _Thunderbolt_, it was apparent that the Council was so much more generous than Dante had anticipated. He had expected no more than 3 or 4 Jedi at most, but the bodycount of the entire group-- including himself-- stood at 8 Jedi and 5 Republic commandoes. 13 voyagers in all. The Jedi group consisted of Dante, Rin, Lon and his apprentice Simon Cannon; Frreral and his apprentice, the large Whipid, K'Grhuk; as well as Phaete and his apprentice Tun Kira. As the young Padawans made haste into the ship itself, Dante led the procession of older Jedi up the docking ramp. Feeling an odd ripple through the Force, Dante felt for his lightsaber through the Force. The other Jedi were undoubtedly doing the same.

Soon they saw a streak of silver plated armour leap out of nowhere, followed by the words "Yub Yub!". Instinctively, the Jedi Masters pulled out their lightsabers, igniting them at the sight of a Mandalorian.

"Well hello to you too, Masters," came the reply of armour-clad Sekula Mumba, who had to restrain himself from laughing hysterically. Reluctantly-- and realizing his error-- Dante deactivated his blade, as the others did the same.

Slightly annoyed, yet whole-heartedly amused, Dante said to the older man, "my apologies, Sekula. For a minute we thought you were a--," cutting him off, Sekula finished the sentence for him.

"A Mandalorian? Hehehe, sorry about that, Dante. I just thought you might have wanted to see my..oh." He paused and noticed the small group of Jedi behind the Knight. "Greetings Masters. Heh, didn't see you there." The commando blushed, though it was hard to see since his dark complexion hid it well.

After a moment, especially with Rin and Frreral trying to hide their laughter, Phaete spoke up. "Yes, well, next time perhaps you might not want to surprise us. Accidents _have_ been known to happen, _Commander_." Sekula mumbled something inaudible after Phaete had walked up the ramp towards the main hold.

Frreral couldn't contain his laughter anymore and burst out laughing. After a few moments, the Wookiee growled, in his native Shyriwook, "Commander, I am certain I shall enjoy this journey with you."

"Well, I'm glad to have you aboard, then. At least someone will laugh at my jokes," replied the Commander.

Moments after the Jedi and commandoes had stowed their gear and were aboard, the _Thunderbolt_ left the planet with great speed and made the jump to the Outer Rim.

As Dante made his way to the cockpit, he couldn't help but notice how the commandoes were wearing some form of armour. _They've come more than adequately prepared_, he thought to himself sadly. It appeared that they also knew of the possible incursion to Dantooine and wanted to be ready for whatever danger awaited them, be it Inner Rim or Outer Rim. Entering the cockpit, he saw Sekula-- still in his Mandalorian armour-- making course corrections and flipping through the weapon-systems check. Hearing the Jedi Knight behind him, he turned around and nodded to the young man.

"Hello, sir. What can I do for you?"

Dante, returning the gesture, merely asked, "what course have you laid in?" Sekula pointed towards the Galaxy charts and said one word.

"Tatooine." Strapping himself into the co-pilot's chair, Dante couldn't help but enjoy the sight of the blue swirl that was hyperspace travel. After a moment, the commando spoke first. "This is one of the reasons why I enjoy space travel." Dante could only nod. Sighing and ready to take that leap of faith, Sekula lightly said, "Dante, I'm really sorry that Alec couldn't be with us. He was a good man and did more for the Republic than anyone could have ever asked of him. I also know that Dantooine may also suffer the same fate as the Galaxy if Malak has his way. We'll find a way to stop the Sith."

Looking at the commando, the young man replied, "I know. Tatooine will be a good first stop. Can't get more Outer Rim than that. Of course, we'll be going much further." Both of the men were looking at the endless blue tunnel of hyperspace. After a few more moments of breathing in the sight, Dante got up from his seat and rested his hand on the commando's shoulder. "Well, I better go and inform our _guests_ where we shall be heading. We'll stop the Sith yet," he said. _Or die trying,_ he couldn't help but think as he left the cockpit.

* * *

After he informed the group of Jedi as to what their destination was, he excused himself and retired to his bunk. Lying down, he threw his sheet over him, the nanosensors tuning itself to the right temperature to keep him comfortable. _Ah, that's so much better_, he thought as he found himself slowly descending into darkness. _Sometimes it's just better to sleep than to meditate.__

* * *

The freighter was adrift when they had found it. The Guardian__, a Republic cruiser, had left immediately from the catastrophic battle in the Dagobah system. Now, out here in open space. the _Guardian_ had tracked one of the few remaining freighters of refugees it was assigned to escort before the Mandalorians had ambushed them. In the Outer Rim, anything could happen-- and having the worst-case scenario play itself out was by far one of the cruelest things to happen in the Outer Rim. The Mandalorians had ambushed the Republic flotilla that was escorting refugees from Cathar, and it had become a massacre. 3 Republic cruisers and 2 Republic frigates held the Mandalorians at bay whilst the _Guardian_ and the _Horus_ made the jump to lightspeed to find the few remaining freighters from the ambush. Now, the _Guardian _had found one adrift in open space. The freighter didn't get far before its hyperdrive had short-circuited. Luckily, the battered ship was in one piece-- a rare occurrence when hyperdrives malfunction while a vessel is in hyperspace transit. _GuardianGuardianGuardianHorusGuardian 

_"There it is," said the Captain of the cruiser. "Inform our boarding team to launch and see if there are any survivors." _

_"Yes, sir," replied the Coms-Officer. _

_"And maintain Battle Alert status. I don't want those Mandalorians to hit us again, unexpectedly," the Captain barked. _

_On board the freighter now, the Search and Rescue team split up and moved throughout the corridors of the freighter. There were dead bodies everywhere. It would be impossible if there were any survivors. "Master," came the voice of a wary and teenaged Dante. "I feel, nothing but death." _

_Master Alec looked at Dante and said to the boy, "I know. But be mindful. Trust your feelings, there is something elusive here." Before he could even finish the sentence, there came the distinctive sounds of blaster fire and screams along the corridors which led to the port dormitory. Igniting their lightsabers, both Jedi made their way to the dormitory and found nothing, but the dead bodies of their companions. "Personnel cloaking devices," hissed Alec. Realizing the potential danger around him, Alec spun his blade around himself and struck at the back of Dante. _

_"Ungh!" A decloaked Mandalorian fell right behind the Padawan. _

_Spinning around and realizing to his horror that the Mandalorian would have been the cause of his untimely death, Dante quickly brought himself deeper into the Force, tuning himself to any ripples. "We need to inform the boarding shuttle," the young Padawan had said. No more than 17 years old, Dante had already gained a lot of experience and insight, in no small part due to Alec and the war the Jedi were thrust into. Grabbing his comlink, the boy was about to speak into it when Alec stopped him. _

_"They have already departed, Dante. I had suspected as much, so I informed them before we made our way into the port dormitory." Walking around the vessel, they only found more dead refugees and the rest of the Rescue team. Their blasters had been taken. _

_"Blast," the young Padawan exclaimed. "I can't sense anything, Master. It's almost as if--," he was cut off when he felt the presence of three distinct ripples in the Force surround both him and Alec. Both Jedi brought their blades up and leapt out to strike at the group of Mandalorians. The two they leapt out to struck never saw the Jedi coming and were down in an instant; one had lost a head, the other gained a hole through his chest where his heart had been. The third companion, however, anticipated their strike. He quickly decloaked and brandished a blood-soaked, double-sided Vibroblade, but as skilled as the Mandalorian might have been, he was just no match for two Jedi. He knew this, of course, but had elected to remain and fight. It was the glory of battle that enticed and invigorated such warriors as the Mandalorians. Both Jedi brought their blades to bear on the Vibroblade, dodging, parrying and anticipating each strike the fanatically armoured warrior made. _

_Finally, as Alec had stunned the warrior with the bulbous pommel of his lightsaber, Dante brought his lightsaber to cleanly decapitate the warrior, instantly cauterizing the wound. As soon as they had disposed of the Mandalorian, they deactivated their lightsabers and looked at each other. Their Force-bond had never been stronger. Their time together had allowed them to anticipate each other's moves and through the Force, they were able to coordinate their strikes against their opponents. _

_Suddenly, a klaxon blared throughout the freighter. Looking at each other, this time with a grave expression on their faces. "Self-destruct warning," they both said at the same time. They began running through the corridors, sidestepping and jumping over bodies that lay strewn across the floor. They had made it towards the escape pods and as they entered that particular section of the large freighter, they were greeted by 5 Mandalorians. All of the Mandalorians, with the exception of the one in the center of the group, had the overall colour of blue and the trademark silver-coloured plating. The one in the center had a dried blood colour for his entire suit. There was no doubt that _he_ was the leader. _

_"Hello, Jedi. I've been expecting you," he said, almost as if he had a smile to his hidden face._

_There is no chaos; there is harmony_


	5. No Disintegrations

_No Disintegrations_

Stalking his prey, he couldn't help but admire the grace and raw power that was the Vaapad. The Vaapad was a predator of Sarapin, a multiple-tailed animal, it was fast, deadly and only few were ever killed. In this particular case, the dark feline-like animal had 5 tails. It hadn't suspected any danger nor did it pick up the scent of any would-be danger to it. _Yes, that's it,_ he thought to himself wryly. _Feast on the gift_. He lay down, his heavily modified disrupter rifle targeting the alien predator. His scope outlined where his disrupter blast would take the animal: the eye. With his disrupter angled on his left shoulder, he moved his right hand across the safety and disengaged it. Rubbing the trigger, he watched it continue to rip apart the docile animal that constituted the Vaapad's dinner. Waiting for the animal to poke its head up one more time, he couldn't help but smile. The dark, short fur of the animal, graced its entire body. The hide alone would be worth thousands of credits to the prospectors' community. The teeth would be worth quite a bit as well. The credits it would bring him was all that he desired. He moved his right hand to touch his cheek. His face had 2 scars. One which ran on the right side of his forehead to his right cheekbone and the second which started parallel to the first, and ran all the way down to the left side of his neck. Though gruesome, those cuts were miraculously non-life threatening. His ice cold blue eyes focused on the Vaapad. His prey. His credits. It looked up. He fired. It was clean.

Walking towards the animal, he had stood 50 feet away from the creature and surprisingly it hadn't noticed him. _The glands work_, he thought to himself. Relishing the sound of credits in his hand as he would use them to upgrade his fighter. An out-of-production _Gargoyle-class_ gunship, it had a hyperdrive, an advanced shield system which was initially designed for light freighters, two oblong sublight-ion engines with delta-inspired wings and a dagger-shaped cockpit. Ironically, he called it the _Vaapad_. The _Vaapad_ also carried dual disruptor cannons between the wings and engines. It also happened to carry two torpedo hardpoints hidden within the gunship's hull and one 'hardly noticeable' belly-mounted blaster cannon. He inspected the kill. The blast had caught it in the eye and had burned through its brain. _Clean_, he thought to himself as he began to drag the heavy animal towards the ship. _You'll fetch me a pretty credit_. He couldn't help but smile again. He threw the Vaapad's carcass into the cargo container of the gunship. As he moved towards the cockpit, he picked up his rust-coloured helmet and threw it on. It complimented his rust-coloured or 'dry blood' armour. He had earned the right to wear it when he had killed his first predator at the age of 9. It was his father's armour from the now extinct Mandalorian clan Hessian.

Reflecting on it, he remembered that fateful day 33 years ago, when he had earned the right to wear his dead father's armour. Of course, years before _that_, his father was involved in the final skirmish between the Mandalorians and the Jedi during the war against Exar Kun. It had ultimately cost him his life, and once more, the Mandalorians had lost. But the fact they had fought and slaughtered a high number of Jedi and Republic soldiers was a great thing. It brought honour and glory to the Mandalorians, regardless of the outcome of the war. It was only 8 years ago that he had fought alongside his fellow clans against the Republic during the Mandalorian Wars. It was only 4 years ago that he had been badly injured and on the other side of the galaxy when clan Hessian joined the ranks of many other clans that were ultimately defeated on Malachor V by the Jedi Revan. It was only 4 years ago that Malachor was destroyed, wiping out clan Hessian and so many others like it. He was the last of the Hessians. Now, like most of his scattered brethren, he was a mercenary.

As he gunned the engines and left the surface of Sarapin, he began to make his way towards the looming city on the north-western hemisphere of the planet.

* * *

With his helmet off and armour back on the _Vaapad_, he wore a dark trousers and black shirt, with a rustic leather coat and standard boots. Underneath the coat, he had his two Mandalorian heavy blaster pistols on his shoulder holsters. Anyone, with the exception of a thief, would have never noticed it, as the pistols were carefully hidden. Hidden under his sleeves were small vibrodaggers which were self-retractable. To anyone who looked at him, all they would have noticed was a slightly tanned man, with his icy cold blue eyes, slightly messy peppered hair and a calm demeanour that could even rival a Jedi. Several opponents had made that fatal error. After he had obtained his credits-- without much fuss from the proprietor-- he had made his way into the local cantina.

After he ordered a Corellian whiskey from the bartender, he moved towards an empty booth and sat on a surprisingly comfortable seat. Taking time to enjoy the spiced aroma of the amber coloured drink, he took a sip and let it sit in his mouth for a second or two before he swallowed the liquid. It burned all the way down. _Ah, that's good stuff. We should have declared war on you a lot sooner_, he thought smugly to himself. As he took a second gulp of the aromatic whiskey, he noticed a Rodian, a Nikto and a green-skinned Twi'lek. They were all dressed in the same blue-stripe, yellow-stripe, red overall, uniforms. _Swoop gang_, the Mandalorian thought to himself. The Rodian had his usual green skin and fly-like snout, with two large round black eyes. The Twi'lek happened to have one of his headtails wrapped around his throat and the other was dangling against his right shoulder. As for the orange skinned Nikto, he happened to be the larger of the three and seemed to have an angry demeanour on his face. His features included very small ears, no visible nose and it appeared that if he _were_ human, he would have been a melted and slightly mutated form. Of course, Mandalorian or not, Dierak Hessian is still a human and found that thought alone to be an insult. As the three thugs were shoving people aside and trying to incite fights, they seemed to enjoy that no one was willing to fight gang members. The Nikto, noticing that Dierak was sitting alone in the booth and didn't seem to pose much of a threat, callously walked up to him, with his companions on either side. After all, this was a middle-aged human who should pose no threat whatsoever.

Not caring, Dierak sipped again from his tumbler and enjoyed the spicy whiskey. He had spent many years controlling how he appeared to others, his expressions were kept inwards. He relished the thought of killing these buffoons. "You, huuuuman," came the barked calling from the Nikto, "you in my seat." His other two companions only sneered and laughed, eager to terrify and extort the human. "You pay me 50 credits or you will be bruised." _And I thought the Republic said it was civilized,_ the Mandalorian thought to himself. Taking another sip from his whiskey, he only replied, "I was here first. You weren't and I don't see your name on it." Slightly taken aback, the Nikto only smiled and cracked his knuckles before he slammed his palms onto the table, shaking the man's tumbler. The man didn't flinch. "You give me 50 credits and I think about letting you live, huuuman," the Nikto hissed. The Rodian and the Twi'lek had removed their small hold-out blasters. Small enough to conceal and light enough to carry anywhere, the hold-out blasters were something an extortionist would use if they wanted someone stunned and used later for torture. A Mandalorian child wouldn't bother with such trinkets. They would have used heavy blasters when "honing" their marksmanship skills. Dierak Hessian certainly wasn't a child. "No deal," he calmly replied before he took the last sip of his whiskey. "I do, however, have a proposition for you." Grinning, the Nikto looked at his companions and looked back at Hessian.

"What deal you have in mind, huuuman?" The thug asked the man. "You and your friends each give me 50 credits and you get to walk out of this place with your lives," he calmly imparted towards the three. Enraged at such an absurd proposition, the Nikto grabbed the table and threw it away from them, throwing the tumbler off at some unlucky patron's head. The Jizz band had stopped playing and everyone was silent and looking at the altercation between the seemingly hapless man and the three brutes.

Still sitting calmly, Dierak merely said, "seems you'll have to buy me a drink too." Even more enraged, the Nikto grabbed Dierak by the shoulders and picked the man up. Unfortunately, that was the last thing he would ever do. The Mandalorian closed his fists and two virbroblades extended from his arms and drove itself into the Nikto's chest, puncturing his lungs. The thug's two companions quickly moved away and tried to shoot their blasters; the Nikto got in their way. Hessian retracted his blades in time and dropped to the floor, rolling away from the pin-cushioned Nikto. He managed to withdraw his heavy blaster pistols and fired them in rapid succession. Each bolt hitting their mark and blowing holes into the Rodian and Twi'lek. The sickly sweet smell of burnt flesh and ozone covered the area quickly. No one had moved. Putting his blasters back into their holsters, he walked towards the dead trio and took the credits from their dead bodies-- they weren't going to need it anymore. As he begun to leave, he stopped at the bartender's counter and dropped a 50 credit coin on the table. "For the trouble and the drink," he replied.

As he left the room, the music slowly returned to normal and everyone began to resume their conversations. All in all, Dierak Hessian made 247 credits from the dead trio. The day seemed to be looking up after all.

* * *

After seeing the three fools she paid to go and die, she was certain that he was the one her Master had specified. After finishing her drink, she quickly left under the cover of the fight that had ensued. Standing outside and some distance away from the cantina, she waited for the Mandalorian to leave the cantina before she would approach him. The fools had worked so perfectly; she knew that had she been wrong, the man would have simply died. But this was a Mandalorian, a hard-trained warrior who slaughtered countless Jedi and Republic soldiers. She spotted the man leave and made her way behind the mob of people in the streetways, following him. She knew not to underestimate him, too many before her did and they served as examples to her.

* * *

He had continued walking towards his apartment, but taking a series of back alleys. After years of war, he couldn't help shake off the tingling feeling in his spine. Someone was following him. He knew that, but he wasn't sure who. Looking for another alley, he turned into it and continued walking through a labyrinthine passage. He had to draw out his would-be stalker. As he continued, he steadied his fast rising heartbeat and made for the interior of an open building. He walked through the hallways of the building and made his way through an adjoining corridor between the building he was in and another building. He walked through it and moved towards an exit and made his way out. After finding an open exit with the mass mob, he simply continued to walk.

* * *

She followed him until he had walked into the building. _Where did he go?_ She wondered. _Wait, I see him_, she spotted him through the masses inside the building. He was going to walk into the corridor which connected itself to another building. Trying to feel him through the Force, she found herself overwhelmed from the flow of the life that was the mob and everyone else on this city. She continued walking outside of the building, pacing herself and shrouding herself in the Force so as to make sure no one noticed her. When she finally found the exit that the Mandalorian was undoubtedly going to take, she walked towards it-- only to realize that there was an opening which branched into the street, filled with countless faces. _Blast,_ she thought to herself. _Where did he go? Could he have suspected?_ Before she could form another thought, she heard the distinct click of the safety for a blaster. _So the hunter becomes the hunted._ "Turn around. Who are you?" He asked her. "What is it you want and make it fast." She turned around and looked at the scarred man. Though he wasn't repulsive, he wasn't very attractive either.

"My name is Lotus Xa," she said. "I have an offer from my Master."

Curious as to what her game was and what kind of deal her Master had in store for him, he merely said to the very attractive woman, "and if I decline?" She smiled, her oddly coloured eyes brightened and she spoke in a very light tone.

"Oh, I believe it is an offer you can't refuse, _Dierak Hessian_." Looking at the woman, he decided it was better _not _to shoot first and ask questions later. Keying the safety, he holstered his heavy blaster. "Let's talk," he said. Lotus Xa merely smiled. To the man, the scent of credits was promising indeed.


	6. The Hunt Begins

_The Hunt Begins_

The _Thunderbolt_ reverted from hyperspace and came upon the golden planet itself: Tatooine. A barren wasteland, Tatooine was a safe haven for rogues and outlaws. Being on the Outer Rim itself, few had ever traversed there and settled on the planet. There were even rumours of the Sith-endorsed company, Czerka, setting up operations on the desert planet. Unfortunately, as that rumour went on to explain, the company had thought there were valuable minerals and ore which soon proved to be useless and inert. Czerka had lost millions of credits on a wild bantha chase, especially when the indigenous Tusken Raiders-- often referred to as 'Sand People'-- started committing attacks on Czerka employees and anyone who would venture out far enough from the established settlements. Nomadic, the Sand People never stay at the same location twice; which has led others to believe that there are a great deal of tribes spread across the planet's surface.

In the cargo bay, sparring with his Wookiee companion Frreral, Dante found himself glad to have more companions along, if only to spend the time throughout this journey. Parrying and deflecting blows from the incredibly strong Wookiee, the young man brought his blade to a figure-eight, hoping to deflect the golden energy sword away from his furry companion. Anticipating the angle with which Dante had intended to deflect his lightsaber, Frreral thrust his blade through the hole the figure-eight had left. The young Knight spun the lightsaber away from the Wookiee, but he pushed himself on the defensive as the Wookiee had spun about with his sword, aiming for the man's neck. What took the Wookiee one arm to strike at, took Dante both of his arms to block with his lightsaber. You fight well, Dante. I can see why your opponents would fear someone such as you, growled Frreral. Smiling, the young man said nothing and continued to deflect the golden blade off to his side and managed to center his sapphire blade at the heart of his companion.

"I win," he declared, grinning at the Wookiee.

In a low growl, Frreral merely replied to the young man, "you were going to win anyway. If you weren't my superior, I'd rip your arms out of their sockets."

Amused yet slightly disturbed, the young Knight bowed and said, "well, before you decide to change your mind, I better go to the cockpit and check on our status." As opposed to wearing his Jedi robes, the young Knight had opted for his more 'unconventional' gear, with the exception of the cortosis bracers. They were not a part of his equipment necessary for sparring with Frreral. As he left, he waved to 2 of the commandoes, Flin and Sirry, who warming up for their own training exercise.

They had been patiently waiting to use the cargo bay after the two Jedi were finished sparring. Flin was a Kiffar, a near-human, who possessed the gifted telemetric ability, which allowed the user to read events from an object. Of course, with or without that particular ability, the specialist was a deadly woman who few would dare to cross. Her companion, Sirry, was the demolitions-expert. She was extremely valuable and had saved the group's necks more than a few times. If anyone needed to demolish something, Sirry was their woman.

Walking past the main hold, he spotted Rin and Tun levitating small power packs into the air and assembling a small hold-out blaster. He paused for a few moments and walked over to the two young women, who had stopped working on the survival pistol and greeted the Knight. "Ah, Master Dante," the young Padawan Tun had said. "What is it that brings you over here? Did Master Frreral give you a good wallop or was his natural musk too much for you?" She winked to the Jedi and giggled teasingly. The young 17-year old had reminded him of a fellow Padawan from long days past. _Jade Vel_, he thought to himself. She had been one of the first to answer the call from Revan and Malak during the Mandalorian Wars. She had been one of the first to fall victim to the Dark Side after Revan's ascension to 'Dark Lord of the Sith.' Regretfully, she had been the first of Dante's dark brethren to fall before his blade.

_

* * *

"Dante," she called to him. "Join me. Join Revan. It's great: you get to feel the power of the Dark Side and you get to use__ the Force rather than _It_ use you." She looked at him, her eyes no longer purple, but a sick, repugnant yellow. She had immersed herself in the Dark Side. She freely gave herself to the dark teachings and had forsaken everything that had once made her who she was. Her blade no longer shone of the compassionate violet that rivaled her own eyes. Instead, it was the blood red that was renown as a Dark Jedi's lightsaber. Those days they had spent training with each other were long gone. Those unforgettable nights, when they broke the Code of the Jedi and gave into their desires, were gone too. _useIt 

_He looked at her, his blade shining the fierce sapphire it had always shone, "no, Jade. I can't. My oath is to the Jedi, to the Light and to peace and justice. For all the things you once stood for." His eyes were filled with grim resolve. The memories he had enjoyed with her were gone now. She was no longer _his_ Jade, but _Revan's_ Jade. The three bodies of their fellow Padawans lay silent on the floor, around her. Jaks, Garn, Faldon. All gone because of her. Because of Revan. She was no longer a Padawan now, however Dante still was. His braid still hung against his shoulder. He would make this his last stand and knew only one of them would leave this room alive. She had to pay for her crimes._

_"You once broke the Code with me. Those memories were not lost to me. I can still be with you if you join me, Dante. Don't be foolish!" She hissed. Her stance was fearsome and she was poised to strike. Feeling the light emanate from his form, she knew he was contemplating a choice that didn't have to end his life. _

_He shook his head, "no, that was a time when we were both on the same side. Jade, come back to the Light. I can't join you, Revan will only continue to destroy everything we stand for. Surely you can see that he will eventually turn on you!" He pleaded. Her eyes no longer retained a semblance of light. The lust for power had consumed her. She had become drunk on her own power and embraced the Dark Side, forever forsaking the Light. _

_"So be it, Dante Ravenmoon. I will never forget the time we had together." She leapt out to strike. He parried her lunge and spun about and sliced right through her black cloak. He missed her by a few inches. She spun to confront him and drove her blade to the top of his head, attempting to cleave him in two. Blocking her powerful attack, both lightsabers were an inch from his eyes. Gritting his teeth he tried to push back, she was just too strong. She continued to shove the blade lower and lower, but she hadn't counted on one thing: the lightsabers from her former allies were strewn across the floor. Reaching out into the Force, Dante felt the pull of a lightsaber directly behind her. Kicking out at her with his legs, she fell back as he did. He pulled the nearest lightsaber towards him, finding it's mark: his right hand. Activating it, a golden light flared to life and he brought both of his blades to bear on her. She blocked his sapphire blade and had managed to spin around, whacking the golden sword away. Unfortunately for her, Dante had expected her to do just that. He brought his golden blade to slash upwards at her midsection while thrusting his sky-blue sword. "Ungh!" She grunted as she deflected the first lightsaber and found a blue lightsaber in her midsection. Dropping her blade, which deactivated as soon as her thumb left the activation plate, she fell to the ground, calling out with her last breaths for Dante. _

_Deactivating both lightsabers, he rushed to her side and brought her close in his arms. "The Jedi... are an outdated Order... doomed.. for extinction... save yourself, Dante." With that, she was gone._

* * *

"Dante? Dante? Helloo?" The young Padawan called out to him. He had tuned out a minute ago, recalling the memory of losing Jade Vel, his former comrade, who Tun had reminded him so much of. Shaking his head, he returned to the present and found both women looking at him quizzically.

"Sorry, you just reminded me of someone long ago," he replied. When he looked back at her, he suddenly remembered the young Twi'lek's question. "Ah, no, I beat Frreral," he said at last.

"Hey, I'm up for a rematch, if you'd like!" Came the reply of Frreral down the hallway to the starboard dormitory. Smiling and shaking his head at the Wookiee's remark, the Knight looked at Rin and asked, "what are you two up to?"

Rin merely shrugged and said, "well, I'm helping Tun out with her training. Honing her skills through the Force. We're practically building a survival pistol." Suddenly interested, he found himself beginning to wonder how handy his Twi'lek comrade-- that is, Rin-- really was.

"Oh? That's impressive. Where's Master Phaete?" He suddenly asked. It was strange that someone else was tutoring the Master's apprentice.

"He's in the garage, working on his lightsaber. He had mumbled something about a malfunctioning setting. Tun came looking for him to help her bring herself more in tune with the Force. I volunteered to help," Rin answered, adding a wink to thank the Knight for bringing her aboard this voyage. It was apparent to Dante, from the beginning, that Tun was like a little sister to Rin. Though the Jedi code forbid attachments, it seemed that they were very close and could be mistaken for sisters had it not been for the slight pigment difference. Other than that, Rin seemed to be more of a Master to the young Padawan than Phaete was. In fact, he rarely saw Phaete and Tun together, which added to his suspicion that perhaps Rin was being tested by the Council to see if she was ready for a Padawan. In fact, come to think of it, he had never really spoken to the Jedi Master. Perhaps when the opportunity presented itself, he would talk to the Iktotchi Master.

Suddenly remembering where he was supposed to be, he nodded to Rin and said, "I'll catch you later. I have to check on our status." With that, he left.

With her eyes on him as he left, Rin couldn't shake off a peculiar feeling. He seemed centered, radiant and different than most Jedi. _Perhaps Alec was the great Master and Dante is his accomplished successor as so many claim,_ she thought to herself. _Or maybe his loss is what has affected Dante heavily._ "Personally, I think he's starting to have something of a crush on you," Tun said to Rin, wiggling her eyebrows and smiling.

Elbowing the teen's bicep, Rin merely smiled and said, "come on, let's finish this thing and then test it out on some junk metal."

* * *

As he entered the cockpit, Sekula had already started bearing the freighter closer to the planet's surface. Noticing the young Knight, he merely flipped switches and greeted the young man. "Ah, Dante. What brings you here?" He had a smile to his face, already knowing that the young man wanted him to land on the outskirts of Mos Eisley. That had been the first place the young man had retrieved his cortosis bracers and had a feeling the information he was going to find was located near there. As the freighter continued on course towards the planet, Dante strapped himself into the co-pilot's chair and started checking the status of the ship and making sure it was ready to land.

"Oh nothing really," he said. "Just wanted to make sure we were closer to Tatooine and it seems we're on the mark." Flipping a switch, the young man spoke into a small microphone, "all right everybody, we're approaching Tatooine."

Smiling, the older man looked at the Jedi and said, "you know something? If you weren't a Jedi, you'd make a great pilot. We could do cargo runs and even make a wager or two at the cantina."

Shaking his head, Dante only smiled. _Oh I have a hunch I know where you're going,_ he thought to himself. After a few moments, he said to the commando, "ah, another life maybe, but certainly not this one. And when we hit the ground, make sure you stay out of trouble. I don't want to have to come back and save you," the young man winked at Sekula.

There was a moment on Bakura, when the commando had stopped for a drink. Fortunately, as a military man, some of the local girls had their eyes on him. A military officer, male or female, still looked good in uniform. As it so happened, two of the local girls were in relationships with much larger and brutish men. By the end of the night, Sekula had 2 broken ribs, a bruised eye and a swollen fist. As for the two thugs, who turned into 4 when the fight started, they were in _much_ worse shape. At least the commando didn't have to pay for his drinks. Suddenly, a beeping noise came from a warning sign. A freighter was picked up on the ship's sensors.

When Sekula checked the identification signature of the vessel, he whistled. "I don't believe it," he finally choked out. Looking at the sensors, Dante realized why. The freighter they picked up on sensors indicated that it was the _Ebon Hawk_. "There have only been a few people who could ever see such a beauty up close and few more who have ever owned it," the Commander said. "I think it was last seen on Taris. Though when we were on Dantooine, I heard that Taris was destroyed over a month ago. But whoever's got it now, well, they better count themselves lucky. I would give anything to fly _that_." Shaking his head at the sight of the _Ebon Hawk_ zooming past them, Sekula locked in the coordinates to land and began to move into the planet's atmosphere.

Dante's feeling, on the other hand, had been slightly different. Amazed as he was at something so spectacular, he could have sworn he felt a familiar presence of not one, but _three_ Jedi. He shook his head, thinking to himself, _perhaps that was just a thought. I doubt the smugglers or whoever designed that ship had Jedi in mind when they built it_. Suddenly, through the Force, he felt his comrades touch the same sense of ripples and disturbances through the Force. _Well, apparently the neighbourhood felt the same thing_, he thought once more. _Ah well, it's not like Revan was in that thing_.

* * *

After the _Thunderbolt_ landed on the planet's surface, Dante walked down the ramp, his cortosis bracers were on and he had his trusty disruptor pistol hanging on his holster on his left thigh. His lightsaber was left dangling on his right hip. The disruptor pistol had saved him on several accounts, eliminating a few unlucky Sith soldiers and slow Dark Jedi adepts. To conceal his identity as a Jedi, he wore a black poncho over his clothing. As he made his way down, he was followed by Rin, Lon, Simon and Sekula. Frreral and K'Ghruk stayed on board, they would roast in the hot temperature that was the desert of Tatooine. Even their nanosensored clothing wouldn't be able to help K'Ghruk and the Wookiee didn't have any clothing, with the exception of a bandolier around his waist, acting as a belt. Even a Wookiee Jedi had to place his lightsaber somewhere. On board the cool-temperatured ship, along with Gors and Hex, the two Jedi would provide excellent communications between both groups. Phaete, Tun, Flin and Sirry would head out towards another part of the settlement, the 'Old Quarter,' searching for supplies and any information about a recently opened cavern from those who might have known about it. With their comlinks on their persons, both groups walked together towards the settlement and split up as they made their way inside.

As Dante's group made their way towards the local cantina, he noticed the diverse group of species that walked amongst each other with little hostility. Of course, there were old hostilities that would never go away. Rin paused for a minute and noticed that Dante was preoccupied. "Hey there, you all right?" Realizing that he had been keeping his comrades from entering the potentially hostile condition, he nodded and then walked first into the cantina, followed by Sekula. As they had previously waited for Dante, the group turned around and found that Rin was now apprehensive. Nodding towards the others to move on and commence with their search, Dante walked up to his fellow Knight and asked her, "hey, what's wrong?"

"Slaves," she said, pointing to a group of young children who were playing around. Looking closely, he saw what appeared to be barcodes burned into the back of their necks. He remembered his previous missions where he and Alec had encountered pirates or slavers and had put a stop to some of their actions. On planets that are so far removed from Galactic events, slavery is something many corrupt Senators turn a blind eye to. Even the Jedi haven't been able to stop all acts of slavery, no matter how many times they had prevented corrupt business officials from committing such a horrendous act. Shaking his head, he looked at Rin and said, "before we leave, remind me to have a chat with their owner."

As Dante and Rin made their way into the cantina, they looked around and spotted Sekula sitting at the bar with the blind swordsman and his apprentice. It seemed that they were getting along rather well. Finding an empty booth, Dante and Rin both sat down, on opposite sides. After ordering the 'now rare' Tarisian ale, they sat down, enjoying their beverage while looking out for a man who was supposed to be the contact they were waiting for.

* * *

Sitting down, on the other side of the cantina, he spotted them. A human and a blue Twi'lek. Before them was a blindfolded man, a Jedi Padawan-- the braid wasn't hard to miss-- and a dark skinned human. _Sekula_, he thought to himself, smiling with anticipation. He had dirty blonde hair, grey eyes and was prominent a rotund figure wearing a dark green tunic with his dark trousers. His boots had reached up to his shins, his durable blaster pistol rested on his right hip. Looking at his quarry, his thin lips parted, smiling once more. He downed the last of his Tarisian ale, noticing that the other two companions-- the man and female Twi'lek-- had the same refined tastes as he. Getting up, he moved towards Sekula, who had his back turned and was talking to the blind man, who-- and he could have _sworn_ he saw the blind man notice his presence-- didn't appear to notice the nearing visitor.

As he brought his hand to touch the shoulder of Sekula Mumba, the blind man's hand darted out and grabbed the man's forearm, twisting it with such strength. The man screamed out-- more in surprise than in pain-- and Sekula turned around, brandishing one of his heavy blasters on the man. "Hello, Haden," he said, smiling at the rotund man. Haden only groaned while rubbing his hand. "Perhaps we'll be better suited to having a chat elsewhere." The commando ushered the rather plump man towards a booth that was filled with two other occupants: a human male and a blue Twi'lek female. As the man sat by the corner, Sekula holstered it, confident that the Jedi could handle the shifty man.

"Well now," said Dante, "who's this?" Looking at the man who seemed a bit terrified at the group of strangers who had taken an interest in him, she smiled reassuringly towards the terrified man. "Well Dante, this is Haden Torch," answered Sekula. "He's the contact we've been looking for. I believe he has something to tell us. Go on, Haden, do tell us." The man had regained his composure and hit the commando on the shoulder, hurting himself against the Mandalorian armour Sekula was still wearing.

"Well," he started, rubbing his fist, "I am Haden Torch. Information finds its way to me and I pass it on to those who happen to have the right _incentive._" He looked at both Jedi, unaware of who they were or what they represented. "I see you know my former colleague. He still hasn't owed me for that bucket of bolts you probably came in on." Turning towards Sekula, he asked, "you still own the _Devil's Maiden,_ don't you?" Sekula merely shook his head, indicating that the once prominent vessel was most likely destroyed from whoever wanted the soldier dead. In this case: the Sith. "Oh, nevermind then," he said. _I've yet to meet a military man who will pay for anything, let alone drinks._ Dante looked at the man and from his dark glare, Haden started to find himself sweating nervously. "What do you know about any risen caverns?"

The chubby man looked at the Jedi and smiled, "what's it to you?" Dante returned the gesture and tossed a 100 credit coin towards him. His smile even larger now, Haden told him everything he knew about the new cavern that caught the attention of Czerka, hunters and even the Sand People. The Sand People had found a rare formation of crystals and it had revealed that a krayt dragon was drawn to its power. The game hunters had found a terentatek that also happened to reside within the area. Czerka had lost two teams of miners and mercenaries to the same terentatek. No one had stopped either creature. It was odd that the Sand People had managed to elude two fearsome animals, both of which would tear the limbs off a man with ease. No one had been there for days and the area had been marked off as dangerous until the sandstorms cover the cave once more.

* * *

After renting two speeders, both groups had made their way towards the cavern, led by Haden Torch, of course. Glaring at the entrance, Phaete merely said, "are you sure this is the cave? We don't have much time. I sense...other relic hunters on the prowl." Haden merely shrugged and made his way towards the entrance. Alongside him was none other than Lon Vorik-- who had introduced himself _after_ they left the cantina. Through the deep, dark cavern, the group, led by Haden, Dante, Lon and Phaete, followed through the natural fixtures, amid wreckage and what appeared to be corpses and skeletons. "Nothing has seemed to survive," muttered Lon. His sight through the Force revealed nothing but death, stench and decay. No one, who had entered, had walked out alive. When the group reached a corner, Dante noticed a dark durasteel pedestal with a prize on top. "There it is," he said, pointing at the object.

The cubicle object hovered above the pedestal. Aside from the vertices, which was made of darkened plasteel, the surfaces of the holocron was crystalline. As he began to move towards it, Dante noticed the red beads that found their way towards each of their heads. He felt the ripples through the Force-- similar to the ripples he had felt when he was on board a refugee freighter during his days as a Padawan. _Mandalorians?_ He thought to himself before his lightsaber snapped to his hands and flared to life.

5 Sith Assassins decloaked around them. Haden Torch and Master Phaete were nowhere to be seen.

* * *

"Are you sure the others won't mind?" The pudgy man asked the Iktotchi Jedi. "Of course not, they went through one tunnel, we went into the other," replied the Jedi Master. "It's the process of elimination. If we find the holocron that leads us to _the_ artifact, then we'll let them know. Until then, we can communicate through the use of comlinks." The man looked back at the ground, watching his step as he tried to make sense of the Jedi's logic. "Oh, all right," he merely said. _Wait a minute, do comlinks even work in here?_ Haden paused for a second, trying to make sense of it. The Iktotchi continued walking, as if he knew the area around him. Phaete would have been a terrifying presence, had he not been a Jedi Master. "Are you coming, Torch?" He asked the man behind him. "Whatever predators may lurk near, do tend to pick up strays." That was all the encouragement Haden needed.

As he caught up to the Master, Haden heard what sounded like a rock falling and much further away, light grunts and metallic clangs. Phaete stopped suddenly, spun around and yelled, "down!" Taking the advice of the Jedi Master, Haden dropped and saw what appeared to be another Jedi leap over him and ignite a _crimson_ lightsaber. "Jedi don't have red lightsabers," he mumbled to himself. After he got up, he reached out for a blaster, only to feel an invisible hand pull the weapon out of his hand and shove him right into a stalagmite, rendering the poor man unconscious. The last thing he saw, before his eyes closed on him, was _another_ Dark Jedi coming face to face to Phaete.

* * *

As he slashed horizontally across the two assassins in front of him, Dante successfully sliced his frontal opponent in half as his blade crashed against the other assassin's vibrosword. His focus was now to one opponent rather than two. He continued to use his saber to deflect the strikes the assassin brought down on him; each cleave or slash coming closer to his body. Shoving forward, the Dark Jedi fell back and pushed himself on the defensive within a flash. The Jedi pressed on with a controlled fury, the lightsaber and sword sparking against each other, while any spectators would only notice several blurs where one strike had taken place.

Lon had decapitated his first opponent and found himself face to face with a double-sided vibrosword wielder. Ducking under the first swing, Lon brought his silver blade behind himself to block the returning swing, forcing himself to bring his blade over his head and blocking the other side from cleaving his chest in two. In an instant blur, he began blocking, striking and parrying off each twirl the assassin continued to rain upon him. As the blind swordsman leapt into the air in a butterfly, dodging the low slash of the sword as the silver blade arced upwards on the assassin's back, dropping him to the floor, screaming out for pain. The scream wasn't that long.

Noticing his why his companion had earned the nickname, 'the blind swordsman,' Dante brought his blade down, with his left bracer, he deflected the downward slash the assassin made at the young Knight, believing it to be an opening. As soon as the sword struck against the cortosis bracer, the vibrations gyrated against the sword, resonating against the forearms of both Dante and the assassin. Stifling the odd sensation, Dante ducked and rolled, following through with his blade impaling the assassin through the heart. Now there was one assassin left and two Jedi Knights. It was a bad day for the assassin.

As the assassin kept parrying off each strike Lon made against him, Dante jumped over the two and from behind thrusted his lightsaber towards the assassin's back, forcing him to fight on two fronts. The assassin spun, deflecting both blades and in the middle of both Knights. As skilled as an assassin might be in stealth and quick death, he was surely no match for the two Knights in a toe-to-toe match. Unfortunately, unaware of this factor, the assassin continued to fight on both fronts and couldn't help but noticed that he was being pressed back into the corner. With a surge of courage running through his blood, he Force-pushed both Knights and leapt for the holocron. Had he engaged his personnel cloaking device, he might not have hit the ground in five pieces: head, midsection, legs and outstretched arms. Both Knights had thrown their blades as they noticed the assassin leaping for the holocron.

As both Knights got up and moved towards the holocron, Lon couldn't help but ask, "so, any idea where Phaete and Haden went to?" Dante shook his head. "I don't know, to be quite honest. One moment they were here," he said, pointing to the ground. "The next thing, they're gone." He looked up and saw Lon touching the holocron. Waiting for the holocron to open, Dante took a deep breath. A few more moments and nothing happened. "Here," the young Knight said to his companion. "Let me take a look at it." Handing it over to Dante, Lon only waited a few more moments when Dante said the one thing that came to their minds. "Fake." Looking around, Dante realized that the cave could be filled with any number of 'holocrons.' Glancing at his companion, the Knight merely said, "this could take a while."

"Or perhaps not," came a familiar voice. It was Phaete. He walked up towards the two Knights, with Haden behind him-- nursing his own bruises. Looking at his companions, Phaete only smiled and said, "the caves were filled with fake holocrons. But there is only one real holocron and here it is." He held up the crystalline cube, revealing its metallic vertices and edges. After a moment, Dante looked at the Master and carefully phrasing his question properly, he asked Phaete, "Master, when did you leave? We seemed to have run into some trouble." Looking around the surface and noticing the corpses of the assassins, the Iktotchi merely nodded and replied, "you two seemed to have handled yourselves well. And to answer your question, Master Dante, it was through the process of elimination and shortly before you ran into.._trouble_." Raising his right eyebrow, Dante merely replied, "curious."

Haden, just walking towards the three, spoke up quickly. "Actually, we ran into a bit of trouble ourselves." The trio looked at him. "Yes, indeed. We ran into two Sith and they outnumbered Master Phaete-- when they knocked me out, of course. Master Phaete was able to drive them back and take the holocron they had in their possession, and lucky _us_!" He exclaimed, slapping his thighs and flinching from pain. Dante, looking at both Haden and Phaete could only nod and looked at the Master, who merely nodded to certify the account. _Some observer,_ he thought to himself. Waiting for the Master to activate the holocron, the young Knight asked, "should we test it to see if it works?" The Master nodded again and activated the holocron and from its blue appearance, a small figure of a robed man-- no more than in his early 30s-- stood atop the surface of the holocron and began speaking.

"This is Jedi Knight Val Qurashi. My Padawan, Dosheo, and I have been sent by the Jedi Council on Coruscant to search for any holocrons from the Ossus Academy. The Academy-- and most of the planet-- was destroyed by the Sith, some time ago. Some of the holocrons and other artifacts were shipped away from Ossus, but we've been searching for a specific and, albeit, unique holocron. It's called the 'Unifier.' The Council believes that this artifact contains the lost teachings of the _original_ Jedi. Our current teachings speak of paths for us to take through the Force. But from what I've gathered and seen, I believe the 'Unifier' speaks of one _all-embracing _path. It's possible that, in actuality, it could unite the Jedi and the Sith. It could bridge the gap that has forced us to be enemies for so long. I also believe that this power will allow us to be more in touch with the Force, and truly understand what the Force wants of us."

The Jedi paused for a moment and spoke once more. "I know the Jedi teachings have slowly changed over the centuries, but I feel the Council is only chasing a myth. An object that doesn't exist. The idea that there could be an item through the Force that could unite the Galaxy is preposterous and wishful thinking. As wise as the Council may be, I don't entirely believe they may be right in this affair. However, it is not my wish to debate the wisdom of the Council. All I know is that the following star systems contain some clue as to the whereabouts of this object, if it even exists. My former compatriots, who have journeyed before me have left clues and holocrons that contain information. This holocron will contain all of the information I've gathered at this point. If I fail, may my companions, who search for the 'Unifier' after myself, find it. May the Force be with us all." After another moment, the Jedi couldn't pull their eyes away from the holoimage as the systems were called out. "Bakura, Dagobah, Honoghr, Tatooine, Ryloth and Utapau." The image faded.

After a few more moments of silence, it was Dante who spoke up. "This quest has been around for millennia, hasn't it? No one's found this thing and yet the Council hasn't given up hope. Why?" He looked a Phaete. The Iktotchi only shook his head; either he didn't know or he wasn't going to say. Lon looked at Dante and asked him, "well, Dante. Where do we go now?" The young Jedi said to no one in particular, "I've been to Utapau, Bakura and Honoghr. I found a holocron or datapad that said similar things. I never knew how long people have followed through on this journey, until now. I guess we go to Ryloth next." He looked at Lon, who realized that the seeds of doubt weren't planted on himself alone. "It's closer." Everyone else merely nodded.

As everyone began making their way towards the exit of the cave, there came the distinct high-pitched shriek of the 'Jedi-killer' terentatek, the Dark Side creature that was supposedly extinct from the Great Hunt. Turning around, the Jedi saw the large, roundish and thick armoured creature. It shrieked once more and began to charge at them.


	7. What Dreams May Come

_What Dreams May Come_

Gazing at the vast darkness that bound one place to another, he couldn't help but find himself buried in the events that had led him to the pinnacle of true power and at the bottom shaft of broken dreams. The void seemed befitting of where he was. It's ravenous appetite would consume all of the lost memories and shattered dreams that once promised him life and redemption. He had been far more powerful than Malak himself; he had been at the forefront of achieving the rank of Apprentice to Revan. Now he was just a shattered man, the Revanite who had kept himself far from everything and everyone. After Revan's death, all the opportunities that had awaited him died with the Sith Lord. The carrion, which relished his fall from near absolute power, had sent him far away, to some outback world, while his other compatriots enjoyed the glory that was battle with the Jedi. Even as he stood there, the reports of a Republic fleet massing near Bothawui only made the Sith Lord wish he could join in the fray. He wanted to feel his opponents fall under his blade. He wanted to feel the fear of death permeate their entire being; he wanted to feed off it. He seethed with anger at the real person who should have died-- _Malak_.

Malak was the one who had destroyed his hopes, his dreams, his desire for more. Malak was the one to blame for killing the one person who could have made his lust for power materialize before his eyes. Malak was the one who stole his life; who threw him into the outback, hunting for an artifact that may not even exist. _If the 'Unifier' does exist, _he thought, _then I shall be the first to learn of its power. Soon, the Republic's ashes will not be walked over by Malak; but by me. And _he _shall _pay _for what he's done._

After a few more moments gazing at the darkness that was space, Seth's thoughts turned to more haunting thoughts. The ghosts of his past would never leave him, no matter how much power he had in his grasp. It was that one moment that determined it all. His lust for power had killed everything that meant anything to him. It killed the man behind the mask. He no longer existed and in his place, he was reborn as Darth Seth. Unlike most other Sith, he had achieved that name through his offence against the Jedi. That offence against those whom he had never thought to commit such an atrocious act in the first place. He slaughtered countless numbers of his brothers and sisters, but one brother in particular had driven him to fall at the full fury of the Dark Side.

As he peered through at the golden planet that was Tatooine, Captain Stormov and Vincent Baroque made haste towards him. "My lord," the young Vjun aristocrat called out towards the Sith Lord, "I have troubling news." Seth turned around and what he heard displeased him the most. "The Jedi found the second key. The assassins failed, my Lord." His dark mask hid his twisted expression of outrage, his voice spoke swiftly and betrayed no emotion as he relayed his orders towards the Dark Jedi and the Captain.

"When we receive the coordinates for the star system they travel to, lay in a course and proceed," came the reply from the distorted voice. Stormov bowed and left to pursue his orders. "Baroque, I want a squadron of fighters dispatched and waiting for the Jedi when they come. Inform Lotus and our guest that they will have their chance to retrieve the second key and the third. This is far from over," the Sith Lord continued saying.

"Yes, my Lord," he calmly replied. Bowing, Vincent turned and left, eager to watch Lotus and the Mandalorian ordered to sure doom. He _craved_ their deaths. The Mandalorian seemed a waste of credits, but if he was as good as others have claimed, then at least the last Hessian might prove to be a bit of entertainment. As for Lotus, her skills with a blade made her a worthy adversary. Unfortunately for her, accidents have been known to happen. He'd see to it that he became an Apprentice, and finally, become a Sith Lord. _Seth will rue the day he insulted the likes of me_, he thought to himself, relishing the thought of Seth falling to his knees and begging for his life before Vincent. _How could he have passed over one, such as myself, for the likes of _Lotus Xa_. He will pay, and when I become the Master, he shall know true pain._

Sighing, Seth looked towards the stars, thinking of the past. Days where he didn't have to wear this contraption, the barrier that hid his soul; he was the shell of a man long since past. As he gazed out of the stars, he felt himself drawn back to the moment that had started it all. It would burn his hopes and dreams of becoming a great Jedi, but it opened the doorway to his lust and greed for power, turning him into the man who is Darth Seth. The man _behind_ the mask, no longer existed.

_

* * *

He fought his reflection. The silhouette had longer hair that covered his eyes. Somehow he could anticipate every move the Dark Jedi would make. It wasn't just the Force, it was their time together. They had been together since the very beginning. Their blades danced around each other, blue striking on blue. Eyes never leaving each other's for a moment. They swirled and spun, their blades clashed and at once it had ended. The parry had failed, and the silhouette emerged victorious. "It's over!" He cries out. "I will take you home, we will find a way to end this war and Revan's treachery." The Dark Jedi only feels his hatred grow, this contempt at the man who is clearly his better. As his compatriot shies a way for a moment, to spread the flames away from them, the fallen Jedi feels for his saber through the Force. The contour metal-grip of the weapon flew to his hand, igniting a furious sky-blue blade. In a primal yell, the dance of blades is renewed. As the Dark Jedi swings his blade towards the reflection's stomach, he does not realize his own blade is deflected from it's own reflection. Each strike is followed by a parry. Each thrust is followed by a deflection. In a spiral, the Dark Jedi's blade flies towards the shoulder of the silhouette, an attempt to slice his head off. Suddenly, the reflection's lightsaber shoots up, locking with the killing saber._

_Their eyes lock with each other's as their blades lock with each other. Through sheer will and determination, the silhouette shoves the blade away from him and spins about, slicing through the tunic of the Dark Jedi, slicing the edge of his gut-- but not slicing the Dark Jedi in two. As the Dark Jedi falls to the ground, the reflection stands tall, his lightsaber flaring a sapphire glow. "Why!" He yells to the Dark Jedi, "it didn't have to be this way. I could have helped you, I could have saved you." Glaring at the silhouette, the Dark Jedi feels sheer rage, hatred at his succession coming to a fall. Flames lick the sky and reach out towards the two warriors. Once more, the Dark Jedi feels for his lightsaber, commanding it to fly towards his hand as he uses the Force with his left hand to shove the silhouette back. As they begin to fight again, the silhouette's eyes are saddened by this act of hatred for no reason except for the promise of limitless power. _

_Each warrior strikes and deflects at all possible angles. Feeling through the Force, the silhouette knows how to end the fight. The Dark Jedi shoves his saber for the chest of silhouette, who parries it and makes a riposte strike of his own. Dodging the blade closely, the Dark Jedi feels the swirl of the Force around them, feels the wound taking its toll on his body-- he needs to rest. As the Jedi swings his sapphire blade to slice his opponent in half, the Dark Jedi jumps back, anticipating the swing. Eager at the opening, the Dark Jedi brings his blade to slice the silhouette's head cleanly. The Jedi smiles at the predictable Dark Jedi and spins, bringing his blade around him and cleaves the Dark Jedi's lightsaber in two. _

_As the Dark Jedi falls to the ground from the kick that is followed by the silhouette, the pillar of light looks at the Dark Jedi, a disheartened and saddened expression on his face. "I wanted to save you," he pleads to the Dark Jedi, who cringes from his wounds and the pain in the voice of the silhouette. "It's over now. You're my brother-- a member of the Jedi Order. I'm sorry, but I will bring you justice and save you from the pain you will feel if you continue down this path." Looking at the silhouette-- his brother--, the Dark Jedi only grunts and screams and his eyes are streaked with tears, just like the Jedi before him. Fire licked around them both. The searing heat threatened to consume them both. _

_"NO!" He manages to scream and brings his hand up-- his rage, hatred and undeniable fury at an opportunity coming to its close-- and feels the Jedi through the Force. He picks up the Jedi, whose expression is one of disbelief, and feels the body course with fear and pain. The silhouette continues to feel a course of pain wracking itself all over his body. He feels his throat constricting, his bones all over resonating and slowly disintegrating as if it were nothing more than a brittle paste. _

_Grinning, the Dark Jedi closes his outstretched hand in a fist, crumpling the body of the Jedi and hearing the distinct cracking of bones. The silhouette was gone. His doorway to infinite power was open, but his path to redemption had closed. "Goodbye," he speaks solemnly, saddened that he had to kill the silhouette for getting in the way of an opportunity that could have given both Jedi unimaginable power. "I will always remember you. I will rise to power for us both and Coruscant shall have a statue, larger than the Jedi Temple itself, in memory of you." Picking up the dead Jedi's lightsaber-- he wasn't going to need it anymore--, the man began to walk away, his burned body would never heal itself again-- and no amount of Kolto would heal the damage. Too much had been lost for him to turn back now. He had truly become a Sith Apprentice; he had become Darth Seth. _

_Seth for the man who had killed his own brother. Seth seemed fitting for himself. Many more brothers and sisters will have to die under the hand of Seth. His new Master would be pleased._

* * *

Shaking his head, Seth continued to look out at the vastness that was space. Only, it was no longer empty space. The _Inferno_ and its task force had begun to leave, making its way towards the edge of the system, leaving Tatooine far behind. The streaking of the stars that had formed into the blue spiraling void, indicated that Seth's group was to head towards another planet in the Outer Rim-- Ryloth.

The Twi'lek homeworld seemed to be an oddity, since it was highly unlikely the Force would be saturated in an area within the planet, but appeared that the Force works in mysterious ways. The planet, somewhat wintry and a barren land similar to Tatooine, had made its mark in the galaxy by profiting from the self-exploitation of its population. Ryloth was renown for selling its own people, particularly females, into slavery for crime syndicates or gangs. The planet had especially made a great deal of profit from the notorious slug-like Hutts.

Shaking his head, the Sith Lord retired to his chambers, eager to hear the reports from Lotus' team and the Tatooine team. He was eager to retrieve the artifact and learn what he could from it before destroying it. Perhaps it might even hold the key to healing the skin under the rippled and rapidly decaying skin that his armour had covered up. Only his face had survived-- mostly.

As he entered the chamber, he tapped several keys on a control terminal and locked the doors within his chambers. It would do no good for anyone to walk in and see the scarred face of the Sith Lord. He touched several minor locks on a hidden pad underneath the armour-plate around his neck and felt the helmet at the base of his skull snap open, hissing and venting a cooling system. Removing the helmet completely, he brought his right hand to touch the skull. He felt scars and patches of skin where his hair should have been; some hair grew on his crown. He summoned a reflective glass and looked at himself: light brown skin from lack of exposure, sickly yellow eyes that were fading back to the natural brown eye colour. His face had a scar that ran from his right eye brown towards the base of his neck: a scar from a fight with his former Master. Such is the way of the Sith. As he touched his scars and the skin that had grown over it, he flinched, remembering that fateful duel that placed him at the level of Master. He looked at his right cheek, a patch of skin had grown there, over the supposed stubble of hair he would have had. Facial hair no longer grew anywhere. The eyes were no longer the same, but as he continued to gaze at the reflection, he couldn't help but remember the duel that would inevitably place him in this suit. "I will bring you justice and save you from the pain you will feel if you continue down this path," the Jedi had said to him years ago. That Jedi had a name, like so many others he had slaughtered.

Looking at his own reflection, Seth merely spoke at the reflection. "You were wrong," he said, no distortions came from his voice. His voice synthesizer was in his mask. As he continued to look at the reflection, his holoimager beeped and was flashing with an incoming message. Throwing his mask on and switching the locks in place, he played the message. A blue-hued display of a Dark Jedi appeared before him. "Yes?" The distorted voice had returned. The Dark Jedi merely bowed, her eyes refraining from looking at the Dark Lord.

"My lord, the Jedi have made their move. They've slaughtered our assassins and our troops have been killed by a group of commandoes. There are 5 of us, we require assistance," the Dark Jedi answered the Sith Lord. Annoyed, the Sith Lord continued to look at the Dark Jedi, who was careful not to look directly at the Sith.

"How many Jedi are there, right now?" He calmly asked the Dark Jedi. The Dark Jedi stammered and answered, being careful not to look ashamed.

"4, my lord." Smiling now, the Sith Lord only shook his head at the Dark Jedi. Had the Dark Jedi notice, he would have realized what the Sith's answer was at that moment. Unfortunately, he heard it a few moments later.

"We're on route to Ryloth. There are no reinforcements. Lotus Xa will not come to your rescue, either. You're on your own. Goodbye," he said. Before the Dark Jedi could answer, Seth had switched off the holoimager. _That is why a Dark Jedi could never be a Sith, _he thought to himself, contemptibly.

As he got up to leave his chambers, he noticed the viridian lightsaber at the corner of the room. It was on a weapons rack-- the lightsabers of all the Jedi Seth had killed. He moved towards it and picked it up. He felt the balance of the hilt-- the only real weight to the weapon, itself-- and ignited the blade to admire it's silvery green glow. _I can almost feel your presence_, he thought to himself, as if he were speaking to the lightsaber or the Master who had wielded the weapon. _You didn't die, oh no. That is, not completely. You found a way to immortality and I will learn it from you. All I need is your Apprentice and he-- or she-- will lead the way to the artifact and to immortality._

Deactivating the blade, he placed it on the rack and made his way out of the room. Many more Jedi would be dead before this mission was over. And Seth would see it all burn around him before he would accept failure.


	8. Thrall

_Thrall_

After dispatching with the group of troopers and mercenaries, who had planned to ambush Dante and the others, Sekula landed the freighter just before the cave's entrance, blowing sand and dust everywhere. The engines running and the ramp open, Sirry, Flin and Hex climbed aboard and shut the ramps. After he made sure they were secure, he brought the _Thunderbolt_ to move closer towards the rendezvous point to pick up the rest. Dante, Lon, Simon and Rin had moved towards the encampment of Sith, eager to capture any enemy soldiers and find out what they could about who was spearheading the Sith operation.

In that particular moment, the krayt dragon they were hoping to avoid came out of its hole. The Jedi had dealt with the Terentatek and now it only seemed fair the commandoes deal with the krayt dragon. The creature had moved towards the freighter, eager to feast on its canned food. As the _Thunderbolt_ began to lift off, its cannons firing rapidly at the dragon, the creature noticed that it had a banquet prepared for it. The heavy blasters shrugged off the dragon,giving the creature scrapes and some minor wounds, but most of thebolts hit the sand around it.Ignoring the threat-- after the cannons had stopped firing and the _Thunderbolt_ fled--, thecreature moved towards the corpses of the dead mercenaries and soldiers, eager to feast on them-- the freighter would only have to come back another day.

* * *

Dante leaped into the air with his sapphire blade spinning around him, deflecting blaster bolts and cutting down Sith Troopers. Lon and Simon had fought back to back against a group of Sith commandoes and grenadiers. Rin had already began fighting two other Dark Jedi, keeping them at bay and from running into their makeshift headquarters. After Dante sliced through the arm of an unfortunate Sith soldier, he made his way into the sheltered headquarters. Walking cautiously, he peered around a corner and saw a Dark Jedi speaking to a mysterious figure. The figure was clad in complete black armour that was barely discernible from the blue-hued image. Suddenly, the image faded and the Dark Jedi stood erect-- possibly contemplating his dire fate or realizing someone else was in the room, Dante couldn't be sure. In one swift movement, the Dark Jedi spun around with a crimson blade burning angrily at the Jedi, who was quick to block the slice across his midsection.

Suddenly, the Dark Jedi had given in to her frenzy and rage-- it appeared that the figure denied the Dark Jedi's request-- and use the Force to push herself into what was considered the Force rage. The Dark Jedi, apparently a Sith Disciple, had become far more vicious and dangerous than Dante had initially anticipated. Continually striking at the Jedi, in an almost juggernaught-like fashion, the Disciple had Dante fighting on his toes. The young Knight was hard-pressed and couldn't manoeuvre in such a closed space.

Quickly, using the Force, Dante shoved the Sith away from him, and darted towards the exit of the headquarters and spun about in time to deflect a thrust that would have impaled him through the chest a moment later. He shoved his blade away from the Sith, who had spun about and sliced the shelter's entrance-- missing the young Jedi-- and let out a primal growl as she leapt out of the tent to join the Jedi. She was in an open space and would not be deterred by some Jedi. Dante had brought his blade around himself and spun it towards the Sith, connecting his blade with his fallen counterpart's each time the young Knight made a strike.

She arced her crimson blade upwards, attempting to cleave Dante's face in two. Jumping back, Dante had to block the second shot with his left bracer and flipped his lightsaber around and butted her right across the face with the base of the sword. He threw her out of the Force rage and had caused her a momentary lapse, where he took full advantage of the opportunity that had presented itself. Pressing the attack, he brought his lightsaber to face her at each and every angle, arcing his weapon to her left, and slashing at her downwards from the right. He quickly spun about, slapping away her lightsaber and in a backhand upward slash, he sliced her in half, cutting through her back and cauterizing the wound instantly. She only grunted, "ungh!" as she fell to the ground in two pieces.

She had fought out of desperation, he didn't. She was stronger than he was in the Force. She didn't account for two things: he was much better trained and he was calm. He silently ushered a moment of silence after she had fallen. _May the Force be with you as you leave this body,_ he silently prayed. As he turned around, he found that Lon and Simon had taken care of the group of Sith soldiers that had hounded them, while Rin had managed to eliminate the two Dark Jedi she had been fighting with, as well as the other 3 who had decided to join the fight. All in all, there were a handful of survivors-- most of them missing a limb or two-- and there was a sheltered headquarters intact. Their questions about who was spearheading the Sith operation would be known in a few moments.

Suddenly, Dante peered up at the sky and saw a familiar sight-- the _Thunderbolt_. The hum of the engines had caught the Jedi's attention first and he couldn't help but be thankful to be on the ship and eager to get himself into the refresher and take a nice shower. Even nanosensored clothing couldn't protect a person from all the changes in temperature. As the ship landed, he moved towards the tent first and began to look around for any information. He went towards the holoimager and cycled through the system, finding numerous holoimage records at a ship whose identification read: _Inferno_. Thankful he didn't have to slice through the system, he played back the images and paused at the final entry. The mysterious figure had a name: Darth Seth. And Darth Seth happened to be the one who was commanding the mission. The image of the Sith Lord had burned itself into his mind. _Darth Seth,_ he thought to himself. _I'll be meeting you soon enough._

He downloaded the files to his comlink and grabbed whatever important information and gear was within the tent and made his way towards the _Thunderbolt._

* * *

After he had stored everything he could, the Jedi went to the cargo bay where the three Sith soldiers were supposed to be located and had found out from Flin, that Phaete had interrogated them and released them. "He what!" The young Knight exclaimed as he heard the news. Obviously, Dante was not pleased at the fact Phaete had interrogated the soldiers and released them-- into the middle of nowhere. By this time, the _Thunderbolt _was on its way towards the city. "Oh no, this is terrible. Those soldiers may be the enemy, Flin, but they're still people. Did he give them any supplies?"

"No," she replied. "Master Phaete had thrown the Sith soldiers out of the ship and informed them that it was in their best interest to make it back to Mos Eisley before nightfall. He told them that the Sand People were not their only problem." The young Kiffar woman had gone through many trials and tribulations, but she had known that Phaete's methods were unorthodox. Her time with Dante had shown her that Jedi are not as mysterious as everyone made them out to be. Phaete had single-handedly contradicted that lesson. Dante stormed out of the room and made his way towards the port dormitory, presumably where Phaete could be found. He felt the vessel shudder slightly, as well as rumble. They had landed close to the city.

As he entered the dormitory, he didn't find the Iktotchi Master nor did he find Tun. _Oh you gotta be kidding me,_ he thought to himself. As he walked out of the dormitory, he made his way towards the main hold and found that the ramp had already been open. "Ah, sithspit," he muttered to himself. He ran out of the ship and found that Phaete had left to the local cantina. He'd have a chat with the enigmatic Jedi Master later. For now, he had a promise to keep.

"Hey there," called Rin, "you want some company?" He looked up at her and noticed her eyes were pleading, while at the same time she was smiling. He nodded and she came down, her lightsabers swung on either side of her hips. "Glad to have you with me," he said to the Twi'lek, grinning at her. Suddenly, her expression grew serious noticing some preoccupation on the Knight's mind. "Credit for your thoughts?" She asked the young man.

He looked at her and once more she was smiling, but this time it was sincere. "Yeah. That Master Phaete is certainly a piece of work. I am beginning to see why many Jedi don't like having him around." She nodded, realizing that he had heard what the Jedi Master had done. "I know we're at war, but that was uncalled for. I would have handed them over to the authorities." He looked at her, and his tone and expression softened. "Let's go, Rin. We may be at war, but we've got some principles to uphold." With that, both Jedi left towards the area they had found those children.

Entering the dark corridor, the Jedi found the same group of children, but they were sleeping inside a large rustic cage. "This is what freedom to the galaxy brings us," the Jedi muttered to himself. As he continued towards the children, he found what he had expected was the owner: a round, balding human who reeked of the back end of a bantha and drank nothing but cheap ale. The older man, muttering to himself, got up, spilling his bottle on himself so as to make it seem like he had wet himself. Annoyed, the old man looked at the two Jedi-- especially Rin, in particular.

Grinning a near toothless grin, the older man said. "well well, what have we hear? Prospectors?" He chuckled with an almost devil-like grin. He continued to stare hungrily at Rin. "What is it that you would like?" Came his gruff voice. "Perhaps a ride on the Srin's serpent? Hehehe," he continued to chuckle. His nausea-inducing scent caught up to the two Jedi, who calmly pushed it aside, focusing on what was important.

"Do you own those children?" Dante asked the old man, Srin. The old man, looking irritated, glared at the young man.

"Perhaps," he replied. "What's it to you? You looking to buy? They ain't cheap, you know."

"Oh I know," Rin answered. "And yes, we are looking to-- shall we say, _acquire_ those children." Her eyes were still bright, but to those who didn't know her, there lay a terrible message behind those eyes: Don't even _think _about it.

The old man licked his lips and rubbed his hands. "Well, would you like to talk price, then?"

"Free," came the cold reply of Dante. The older man looked at him and suddenly his face turned dark and red with anger-- though it could have just been the alcohol rushing to his head.

"What is this? Some kind of joke? No deal. Give me the Twi'lek and I'll give you the brats," he hissed.

"Oh you don't understand, this isn't negotiable," Dante answered, about to wave his hand inconspicuously. Suddenly, before he could speak again, Rin stepped closer and interrupted him.

"All right." When the words had left her mouth, Dante and Srin had dropped their jaws. "But you have to free the children first," she said to the old man.

The old man nodded and smiling he merely said, "ok, I'll give you the dumb bunch of brats." As he opened the lock, he quickly ushered the kids out, shoving them and kicking them. They moved towards Dante, wary of how he was going to treat the children. "All right," he said, "you got the brats, now give me the broad."

Walking towards the slaver, Rin lightly said, "ok." As she walked towards him, she ushered him into an open building-- presumably his-- and within a handful of seconds walked out again. Dusting her hands off, she looked at the Jedi Knight. "What?"

Amazed, Dante asked her, "what happened to old Srin?" She smiled at the Jedi and winked at him.

"Oh, he got tied up." With that they started walking away, but Dante ran back, if only to feed his curiousity. What he found couldn't have made the slaver more deserving of his fate: he was bound in stuncuffs and was inside a Force cage, sleeping like a baby rancor. It would be a shame if someone had found him all vulnerable.

* * *

After arranging transport for the children to be sent to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant-- since they developed a sudden bout of 'Force-sensitivity'--, Dante and Rin had made their way back to the _Thunderbolt _before night had descended on the planet. With everyone on board the ship, Sekula set course for Ryloth, the Twi'lek homeworld, and made the jump to lightspeed. No one had bothered them on the way up through the atmosphere.

As the ship had left inner space, Sekula saw something he had hoped he wouldn't, for at least a little while longer-- a group of Sith fighters awaiting them. "We've got company!" The commando yelled into the com, alerting everyone's presence. Suddenly the ship lurched with the impact of energy fire, but it wasn't from Sith fighters alone; a Sith cruiser had seemed to be pursuing the freighter as well. He would never have noticed it, if he weren't flying headlong into it. The ship had been rigged for stealth running. They had just been outgunned. "Hold on!" He screamed as he pulled the freighter around and came to bear head-on with the leader of the flight of Sith fighters. Suddenly the freighter began to shake with blasterfire from both sides, as the _Thunderbolt _was caught between the crossfire.

The freighter barrel rolled through the myriad of starfighters, before pulling itself into a loop that brought the crew far away from their pursuers.

As Sekula brought the freighter around, he noticed the shifting of power towards the weapons that were mounted on the ship. The commandoes had dropped into the turrets and were ready to fight for a way out. Suddenly, a warning dial had flashed-- the deflector shields were falling fast from the Sith cruiser's relentless blasterfire. _We can't seem to catch a break_, he thought to himself exasperatedly. Dodging an array of red energy lances aimed for the freighter, Sekula brought the _Thunderbolt_ closer to their mark, the jump coordinates were locked in. As the cruiser continued to open fire on the freighter, it had slowly begun to lose its squadron-- one by one-- of Sith fighters that had accompanied it. The _Thunderbolt _was in the clear.

Sekula checked the gauge-- noting that Sirry had gained the most kills-- and found energy returning to the deflector. _Sirry, I could kiss you_, he thought once more, grinning widely. As he rerouted his power distribution on the ship, he pulled a lever that engaged the hyperdrive. Suddenly, the stars streaked and wrapped around itself, forming itself into the blue spiral that was hyperspace. They were on route to Ryloth.

* * *

As Dante began to meditate, he couldn't help but find himself drawn to several thoughts since the mission had resumed. Alec had died and could never reach him again; Master Phaete had alienated everyone, including his apprentice, Tun-- which was quite disturbing--; and most especially, he found himself thinking about Rin. There was something about that Twi'lek that made him feel... what? It was the closest to home he had ever felt. In fact, Jade had been just as close. Surely Rin was attractive, but clearly she had no interest in him. Right?

_She's a Jedi,_ he thought to himself. _She took the oath and devoted herself to the Order, just like any of us. _He tilted his head as he heard a faint voice.

_Not that it stopped you or Jade, my former Padawan_.

Opening his eyes, he looked around. He could have sworn that another voice, one very familiar and comforting, had spoken. "Alec?" The young Knight asked softly. He shook his head. _No, Alec is gone,_ he thought once more. _He's gone. It was just my imagination. _He sighed. Dante hadn't thought about the death of Alec in a while. He hadn't slept in two days. He found himself thinking about the Master often. He had even found himself dreaming of days long since past. _Why did you have to die?_

_It was the only way to ensure you survived, Dante_, came the faint voice again.

Dante jumped as soon as he heard the voice of his former Master. He looked around and found that the rest of the ship was in a surrounded in a dark, hazy mist. It was almost as if no one was on board, except for himself. The low hum of the ship had gone dead silent. Dante spun around, looking all over. He left the cargo bay and began running through the ship, calling out for anyone. "Sekula? Rin? Frreral? Anyone there?" There was no answer. He ran towards the cockpit, eager to check the internal sensors on the ship. As he slammed himself into the pilot's seat, he noticed a large mist surrounding the cockpit. Ignoring it, the young man searched on the sensors, eager to find anyone. Almost instantly, he jumped up. There was a signal. It was in the starboard dormitory, where Alec and Dante had resided initially during the mission. Feeling his hip for his lightsaber, Dante cautiously moved towards the dormitory.

What he saw startled the young Knight even more. It was Alec sitting on his former bunk. A blue aura surrounded the late Jedi Master.

"Hello Dante," came the wistful greeting of Alec. "I'm sorry I couldn't reach you earlier. I'm new at this, so please, bear with me." The Master only smiled warmly at the young man. "You must have many questions, hmm, Dante?"

"G-greetings M-master," stammered the young Jedi. He could only gape at the presence of his Master. "You're alive?" He finally managed after a few moments. He felt himself overflow with emotions.

Alec shook his head, smiling grimly. "No, I am gone, Dante. But I've found a way to come to you through the Force. It's taken some time, but the Force netherworld has been most kind." He chuckled softly.

"Where am I?"

"On board the _Thunderbolt,_ of course. You're deep in a trance. You've been meditating for 30 minutes right now."

The young Knight looked puzzled. "I've been in meditation before. Why is this so different?"

"I've actually reached out to you. You've found yourself listening to the hum of the ship. I felt you broadcast yourself into the Force, so I let my essence meld to your trance for some time. I couldn't have picked a better time, actually," the Jedi Master answered.

Dante looked at Alec, who appeared the way he was when he first trained the young Knight. He was quite baffled about Alec's appearance. "What is it that is going on? Why are you here, Master?"

Alec sighed. He knew that Dante obviously wasn't taking his death well. The young man had certainly repressed it, but he had definitely not come to terms with it. "The woman, Lotus Xa, had to kill me. I had the key to unlock the second gateway. As careless as the Sith tend to get, they didn't realize that it is _you_ who really has the second key to opening the doorway of the artifact. The 'Unifier' requires three keys, Dante. The first key is a Jedi-- or Sith. The second key is the ability to become one with the Force and see the possible futures. _Few_ Jedi ever learn of this technique. Master Vandar is one of the few. The final key..." the old Master had drifted off his train of thought. He looked at the young Jedi. Dante had no clue of what he seemed to have in his possession.

"What is it, Master?"

"I do not know what the final key possesses. The second key, you will have to learn through the holocron you find on Ryloth. The holocron you found on Tatooine was the guideline. It tells you where to go. But it does not tell you where to find the object. A Shaman will be able to help you find it and teach you the first wobbly steps towards seeing the greater picture. After you achieve the second key, you will have to make haste to a station. It's called Gateway station. It is in a secluded sector of space. The coordinates, you will learn at a later date. Be wary, Dante. I do not need to tell you that the Dark Side is everywhere. The 'Unifier' is the key to uniting both groups of Jedi. I believe that, this artifact kept the Jedi together until the Great Rift." Immediately, after the Master's tone had become grave and serious, he looked around and felt something too subtle in the Force for someone such as Dante or most living Jedi could feel. He looked back at the young Jedi. "I must leave soon. I am still a slave to the will of the Force. There is a darker presence here than I had originally anticipated. Dante, remember, I had to leave in order to make sure that you had survived. This information is vital to you, the Jedi and...," hesitated the Master, "the future." With that, the Jedi had faded and the mist had dissipated.

"Master! Alec!" He called out. Suddenly, he found himself shaken and he found his world fall apart once more.

"Hey, Dante," echoed the voice of a familiar light voice. "We're here. Come on," she called to him.

Eyes shooting open, he found himself sitting in the cargo bay. The low hum of the freighter had stopped and the sound of hissing from the coolant systems had taken precedence over the engines. As he looked up, he couldn't help but smile at Rin. "Right," he replied. "Go on ahead, I'll catch up."

"You sure?" She asked the young man. He nodded and she turned around and left towards the opening ramp.

As he got up, he stretched and looked around. There was no mist. There was no sparkle of aura. In fact, the only coming "dark presence" Alec had described, came from Phaete, who walked towards the ramp. _Dark presence_, the young man thought to himself. _Was he referring to Phaete? Or Rin?_ He continued dwelling on his thoughts for a few more moments before he went to the ramp and realized that he hadn't felt more in tune with the Force than ever before. He could feel the flow of life from his comrades all around him. He even felt the miniscule ripples through the Force from Master Phaete, who hid his Force abilities and power through sheer mental discipline. Ostensibly, Dante was fine. However, the Jedi felt much stronger through the Force and had found that meditation had rejuvenated his tired body. _1 minute of meditation equals 3 minutes of sleep. Or so the old saying goes_. Dante could only smile.


	9. Oath

_Oath_

Rin and Dante had stepped outside of the _Thunderbolt_, Phaete and Tun had gone out just before the two left the ship. Sekula was the last to leave the ship, eager to stay on board due to the colder temperature on the surface of the planet. It was evening and the stars were out. The Sith hadn't followed the group to the planet. No signatures had been detected and it was still likely that the Sith might have sent a small party or a cruiser to meet the voyagers. Time certainly was against them. The second key had to be found here and then the group would be on their way.

Noticing that everyone had gone outside to gather an idea of their surroundings, Sekula pulled Dante aside; closer to the interior of the ship as he pulled the Jedi up the ramp. Cautiously, he whispered to the Knight, "Dante, that group of Sith who followed us and assaulted us were ready for us. Those ships look like they are rigged for silent running." The Jedi merely nodded, trying to grasp the idea of what the commando was trying to tell him.

"You think someone might have given them the information about us?" He asked the commando. Sekula nodded.

"I think we have a spy on board. I don't know who. I mean, we can personally vouch for my team, and I sincerely doubt the Jedi are spies. I think--"

"Haden," the young man finished the thought. He nodded. "I suspected as much. I don't know about him. I thought you knew him?"

"A long time ago, yes. When he was thinner, of course. He must have packed on a few after the...well I'll tell you anyway. We did a number of runs for several clients. I, uh, got pulled back into the war, when the Mandalorians came knocking. I heard Haden had lost his ship, one helluva beauty, I tell you. Not the _Devil's Maiden_, mind you. I took that one." He couldn't help but grin at the Jedi, reminiscing about his old days. "Yep. He had something much better. _Harlequin's Blade_." The commando whistled as he reflected on the memories of the saucer-like ship. "Yep. That was a thing of beauty. It almost rivaled the _Ebon Hawk_ herself. But, as we all know, that baby is thing of artistic genius. I think we'd die before a Republic officer pilots something like that."

"So you don't know what he's been doing for the last 4 years?" The Jedi Knight asked the commando, cautious not to offend his friend.

"I know he has been an information gatherer. I know after the loss of the _Harlequin_, his career plummeted. He found himself in the cantinas nearly as often as I did. That's probably what gave him the belly." The commando smiled with mirth.

"Are you confident that he can be trusted?"

"No, Dante, I don't think we can trust him. I don't know what to say."

"All right, we'll keep our eyes on him. I just don't feel anything from him except honesty. We may have to see who else is eager to commit subterfuge. Something just doesn't feel right. There's something elusive around us and I can't seem to figure out what it is." The Jedi turned around, eager to look around as well and noticing his companions weren't paying any attention to Sekula and himself. "I know you'll stay on the ship, but if you pick up any transmissions, let me know, ok? There's more to this than what meets the eye." Sekula nodded soberly.

"All I need now is a drink," he mumbled to himself as he continued inside the ship.

As Dante walked off the ramp, he looked at his companions and especially Rin, who seemed to know the area. The terrain seemed more like plains with cracked grounds, with the obviously cold winds. There were highlights of some mountains over the ridge, that seemed to pierce the indigo sky. The sky had not a single cloud, the stars were almost out. There was a faint glimmer of light and some smoke that expanded through the air. As they continued to stand in one place, they couldn't help but feel the bite of the cold, if just a bit. Their clothing's nanosensors were matching the temperature of the body, trying to maintain a comfortable temperature for the group. The only ones who didn't feel the bite of the cold were the furry wookiee and his Padawan, K'Grhuk.

"Now that we are off Tatooine, my Padawan and I can help you out," the wookiee growled excitedly.

"Yes, though I am sure we will have the second key soon, without your assistance," the Iktotchi Master replied. He started walking towards the possible encampment, eager to get the mission underway. The wind brushed his cloak, threatening to pull it away from him. The Master pulled his robe tightly around him, continuing to walk towards the encampment.

Looking puzzled, it was Tun who spoke up first. "What's going on?"

Everyone continued to exchange looks. Dante finally chose to answer. "Your Master has a manner unbecoming of his stature. Everyone, wait inside the ship. I'll get Phaete-- _Master_ Phaete." Before anyone could open their mouths, the Jedi had already left, running to catch up with the Master. His blood began to warm his body as he ran and caught up to the Iktotchi. "Master Phaete, you and I have to talk."

The Iktotchi paused and looked at the Jedi, noticing a somewhat stern tone in the voice of his subordinate. "Very well, Dante. What is it you wish to speak about, while the Sith come closer to rain down fire upon us?" The Master's tone was very sarcastic.

"I thought you were an observer, nothing more. As the _Council_ said," the Knight said to his counterpart.

"I was, until I realized how poorly organized you were. I can see now why the Council had Alec accompany you."

The young man clenched his jaw. In his mind, he recited the Jedi code. _There is no emotion, there is peace. _"We're not disorganized. And Alec was my Master. We had spent a lot of time understanding each other and his skills as both a mentor and ally for me was why the Council sent us to go. It was a natural placement where we would best serve the Order. His death has not hindered us."

"Oh, you fail to understand, _Knight_," the Master said, vehemence creeping into his tone. "I am not insulting a man such as Alec. I am merely saying that you are inept and without him, the mission is doomed to fail. I still cannot see why you have achieved the rank of Knight."

_There is no ignorance, there is knowledge._ "I had been trained by Alec, I had surpassed him in several things. I am not inept as I have proven to the Council many times before. I am merely upholding the mandate of our mission. You have been alienating the rest of us, Master. I came back to the Order to inform them of the situation's dire circumstance. Tell me, why did you let those _wounded _soldiers wander back to the city through the desert?"

"They are the enemy, nothing more. And my business is my own, Knight Ravenmoon."

"They were still people. They're dead now, Phaete. You sent those people to their deaths. We are Jedi, we have to uphold that which separates us from the Sith."

"They were the Sith. You're right, Dante. We are Jedi, they are Sith. They would have killed us without a moment's hesitation."

"No, you're wrong. They were bound and we had a duty to perform: the preservation of life. What you did was monstrous and I will inform the Council of your actions."

"Just like how you slaughtered their comrades as you infiltrated their camp site? Or just like how you sent those slaves to Coruscant? Just like how you lied to the Order that those same children were Force-sensitive?"

"No, those were children that needed a home. The Jedi on Coruscant is in a much better position to help them than we are right now."

"You're wrong, I'm afraid, Dante Ravenmoon."

_There is no passion, there is serenity._ Dante looked at the Jedi Master, the unmistakable feeling of horror creeping into him slowly. "What do you mean?"

The Iktotchi raised his eyebrow-- if he had one, in the first place. "I informed the captain of the freighter that those children were not to go to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant."

"What did you do?" The man asked him. _There is no chaos, there is harmony._

"Shortly after we made our way to hyperspace, the ship turned around for Tatooine."

_There is no death, there is the Force. _"You doomed those children back into slavery?" He asked. Dante felt the horror creep into him and felt the Iktotchi Jedi through the Force in a way he never thought possible. He felt a flash of the feeling and mind of the Jedi Master. He had deliberately altered the freighter's course. He had enjoyed watching the Sith doom themselves to death. He was feeding off the sorrow and despair that was beginning to slowly consume the Knight.

"Not slavery, just back to the planet Tatooine. Though what may lie in their fate is entirely up to the Captain."

"You're a Jedi. What you've done is truly horrific. It was unbecoming and dishonourable of a Jedi."

"Perhaps, but I am your superior. Vrook was right, whelp. You will benefit from my guidance."

"Such as Tun? Is she even your Apprentice?"

"Tun is as she will be," the Master replied evenly.

"And that is?"

"She is now the Apprentice of Rin Mesa. She is a failure to me, and you are obviously not qualified to lead. You couldn't figure out which holocron was even real, when we were on Tatooine. I shall lead and you shall follow."

"You're drunk on your own power, Master. I have no choice but to arrest you. Jedi Master Phaete, in the name of the Republic, the Jedi Order and the Galactic Senate, you're under arrest." He unclipped his lightsaber, igniting the cerulean blade. "You're charged with corruption and violating the Code of the Jedi."

The Iktotchi looked at the Knight, clearly impressed with the actions of the young man. "I am a Master of the Jedi Order, I am a Master in the Council. Do you really think this is wise, Dante Ravenmoon?"

"I have no other choice. You've demonized the Order and you have violated the code of the Jedi, by harming the people we swore to protect. In the name of the Jedi Order, in the Council, you are under arrest. Your lightsaber, please." The young man extended his hand towards the Jedi Master. The hum of his lightsaber filled the silent moment with its haunting sound.

"Hmph," the Master started. "It would appear that my initial assumption of you was correct." He revealed his lightsaber, which flew to the hand of Dante. "I amthe Council, while we are on this mission, Dante. Don't you forget that I can end this mission."

"You're under arrest, Phaete. Whatever power you believe you had has been suspended."

After they returned to the ship, Dante made sure that Phaete was confined to his quarters. The commandoes, as well as Lon and Simon, had elected to stay back and make sure the incarcerated Jedi Master wouldn't try anything foolish. After their altercation, Dante had to wait outside for a while to make sure that he followed the tenets of the Order.

The cool air flew around him, cooling him off. He was saddened by what he had to do, yet his heart was heavier because of the unknown fate of the children. He had promised them freedom. He had promised them a new life that was their own. He had failed them and he knew that those children were lost. He walked slowly towards the lighted encampment, heavy in heart towards those children, but eager to get this mission over with. The war was taking its toll on everyone and the urge to let anger wash over him to wipe out the Sith completely was very tempting. He found himself entertaining the thought of being seduced to the Dark Side, if only for a short time. He knew it would consume him forever, whether or not he left the Dark Side. _No, _w_hen this is all over, I will find those children_, he thought to himself. Determined as possible to restore hope and peace to some corner of the Galaxy, Dante looked up and continued walking towards the single light that shone in the darkness.


	10. Shaman

_Shaman_

Walking towards the fire that light the camp site, Dante found himself standing with a clan of Twi'leks. Most were blue-skinned, some were red and even violet. As he looked at them, he noticed a certain form of tattoo on their foreheads that seemed like a star with its rays reaching out through the far distances. It was the tattoo that Rin herself had. Surely there was some similarity. As turned around, he spotted two large green-skinned male Twi'leks, their lekku curved drooped on either side of their head.

"Can'we'help'you'human?" One of them asked. It took the Jedi a moment to figure out what he said, remembering that the Twi'leks on the planet communicated with their headtails. They also had a tendency to make every word in the sentence come together as one whole word.

"Uh, I am Dante Ravenmoon. I am from the Jedi Order," the young man said. He began to contemplate whether or not the Twi'lek men were really interested in what he was here for or if they had ideas of their own. This was the area the holoimage displayed. It also appeared that this particular group of Twi'leks were not nomadic.

"What'is'it'that'you'want'from'us'Dante'Ravenmoon?" Asked the other Twi'lek.

"I was told that there is a powerful Shaman here. I would like to speak with this Shaman. They have answers to my questions," he replied, betraying no emotion. He knew that if this clan didn't have a Shaman, then this was the wrong group he was looking for. The Shaman was the answer to finding the second key and teaching the Jedi how to perceive through the Force in a fashion beyond most other Jedi. Most, if not all Jedi could channel themselves and see a future that lay ahead, but it is not possible when the Dark Side clouds it. From what Alec suggested, there was a way to pierce through the haze and see the futures that lay ahead. There were always more than one.

The first one who had spoke up earlier, replied once more to the Jedi. "What'if'we'say'no'Dante'Ravenmoon?"

"Then'I'will'have'to'teach'you'some'manners," came the reply of Rin Mesa. Both Twi'leks turned around and noticed a blue Twi'lek, brandishing her lightsabers at her hips. Looking at each other, they looked once more at Rin.

"Rin'Mesa'you'are'alive!" Exclaimed the other Twi'lek.

She paused for a moment, confused that these two Twi'leks knew who she was. Before she could reply, the sound of bones rattling interrupted the altercation. Dante turned around, as did Rin and the other two Twi'leks. The form before them had stopped, the bones on the staff had stopped rattling. The figure wore nothing except for the loincloths that covered her breasts and her hips, among other things. The staff was completely metallic, with a skull at the tip with ruby red eyes. There were strings that attached the ivory white bones of animals and other things that clattered together against the metallic skull and staff. The figure appeared to be a blue-skinned Twi'lek woman, aged no more than 39 years. She was immensely powerful in the Force. It began to make sense to Dante now.

Her family line must have been a group of Force-sensitives that had the uncanny ability to perceive the future in any way possible. She was a Force-seer, similar to the Miralukans, but much more powerful, in this case. She was responsible for safeguarding the key from others that would threaten to harm the Force and the Galaxy. Unlike the Miralukans, it appeared that she had learned a technique that allowed her to peer through to the future while the Dark Side shrouded everything else. He would need to learn this in order to get through to the artifact.

She nodded to both Jedi, and urged them to follow her. As she made her way towards a hut, Dante couldn't help but look at Rin, hoping she would have an answer to what the woman's name was. Rin only shrugged, unsure of who the Twi'lek was and how those two knew her. When the trio made their way into the round, beige-coloured hut, they found it to be well lit and carpeted with animal furs, mahogany coloured tables and a round shaped bed.

She ushered the Jedi to sit down with her, as she poured a red liquid into a cup. She sat down, and began to drink from it. After a moment, she looked up and finally spoke. "I am Nazri Mesa. I am your aunt, Rin."

Rin looked astonished, her jaw had dropped. "My, my aunt? What is this?"

The older woman looked at her solemnly. "This is your home, the Mesa clan. I am your aunt, your only remaining relative. Your mother and father had died when slavers tried to take you three for slaves. Your father was killed first, since they only prefer _women_." The venom in her tone was thick. She remembered the pain that she had accompanying her throughout most of the years. "I was the youngest. Your mother was strong in the Force, just like your father. I was only 15 when they had died. You were just born. I felt them die through the Force, but I couldn't make you out. Now I know you are alive.

And you must be the Jedi who is searching for the second key," she said, looking at the human Jedi.

"Yes, I'm Dante. I was a--"

"Student of Alec Ness, yes. I remember him," she said, interrupting the young Knight. Her tone, at the mention of the former Master, was much lighter. She had been fond of him. How exactly fond, he didn't want to know. It was unfortunate for him that she answered. "He came to Ryloth when he was a Jedi Knight. We were...close. We had some good memories. He helped me tap into my abilities with the Force. It is sad that he has passed on."

"Before he left, he imparted some knowledge about a key for the 'Unifier.' Do you know anything of this?" The young man was unsure whether or not the woman was who she said she was. Alec certainly made no mention of her, of course, there were times when he had referred to _someone special,_ during some of the conversations the old Master and young Dante had shared.

"Yes, I know what you are talking about. He had spoken to me as well. Shortly before he conversed with you, young Dante," she smiled.

The young man had certainly begun to wonder about the abilities of the former Master. Not to mention the fact that he had some sort of relationship with the aunt of Jedi Knight Rin Mesa. He reached out through the Force and felt his counterpart's feelings of trepidation. Nazri had certainly brought a wave of emotions with the young woman.

To her credit, Rin had certainly appeared to have a calm demeanour. But, like most Force-users, that didn't stop other companions from reaching out into the Force and feeling her.

"I need the both of you to remain calm," came the mature voice of the older woman. "I want you both to reach out and touch the Force. Feel the relationship that bonds you both to this mission. Feel the air, emotions and the ripples and vibrations of the Force. Reach out and find the center within yourself and let go…" her words had drifted off as the three Jedi found each other within the mist of the Force. Their strengths grew, their weaknesses faded and suddenly the three had merged. They found themselves floating deeper into the Force, walking the thin line of the Dark Side and the Light. The balance within them was different. The Jedi had leaned towards the light, as opposed to the balance within them.

Nazri was different. She walked her fine line all the time. She had become one with the Force in such a way, she could perceive the Force through the Dark Side without harm to herself. In the Dark Side, the Force was not a tool, but a companion just as it was within the Light. She had found herself in tune with the Force because it was neither the Light nor the Dark that she served. The Twi'lek had found her way to understand the will and perception of the Force. Evil, good—it was merely a point of view. The Dark Side of the Force was inappropriately used. The Light had not even scratched the very surface of the Force. Somewhere, the Jedi Order had lost their way, finding itself pushed into the mundane as time grew on.

"The balance between Light and Dark is not as the Force intends it," her voice echoed within the trio. "The balance must remain equal. The Force will find a time to retaliate, unleashing its child to balance the matters of the Force if we continue to allow ourselves to hurt it once more. The child may become the warrior for what we perceive as the Light, against the corruptions of what we also know as the Dark Side. The child may yet become the tyrant of the Dark Side, but balance will be restored, one way or another."

"How can we restore the balance?" The voice of Dante had echoed, a soft and melodic tone that radiated towards the two women.

"You must seek the Unifying Force by bringing balance to yourselves, before you can move on towards the balance of the Galaxy. Many more must suffer before this can happen. The Jedi will lose, as will the Sith. One day, the Jedi will return to this path, Dante. You must take new disciples, pass on what you learn after the 'Unifier' reveals its secrets."

"What must we do to find the balance within ourselves?" Rin asked the wise Seer. Her voice echoed harmoniously within the Force-bond.

"You must embrace the Force willingly, find its voice in the center of your being. From there, the Force will guide you to the future. To the second key, you must travel down the valley of Shadows 3 days' journey from here. You must not take the vessel; only by walking will it open its doorway to you. 4 of you must go—you both and two others of your choosing. The second key will be found once you have immersed yourself more into the ways of the Force." She smiled softly, a warmth that expanded and enveloped the two Knights who were part of the meld. "Better swordplay does not make a Jedi any greater than a Sith."

Both Knights had felt somewhat embarrassed.

It happened. Dante saw three images. _A figure stood in the Chancellor's office in Coruscant. The clothes the man wore were different, somehow regal, yet there was a dark presence about him. He smiled grimly, his nose was long, and he seemed more aged and tired. His silvery hair was slick back, some of it bustling from the cool air. Beside him stood another figure. This one was of a taller man, his expression was saddened. War. It had come to war, thousands of soldiers in white climbed aboard vessels that looked like the Sith warships in Dante's era. _

The vision changed towards another one. _A man in black armour stood silently, gaping out at the bodies that lay strewn across the sandy plains. There was no end to them. The man in black seemed tired, saddened by what he had become. The helmet that covered him was shaped like an onyx skull; nothing pierced through it. The man had become the shell that protected him. Nothing had mattered to him anymore. Everything he loved was taken away. His anger and hatred of all things had taken its hold over him._

A final image appeared to the young Knight. This one was more frightening than he had ever imagined—it was in _his_ time period. _A man with short cropped raven-coloured hair walked silently throughout the fire. His cerulean blade struck out against another blade. He turned to look at the figure and only saw an image of himself. The reflection had longer hair. As the figures looked at each other, Dante found himself looking at _his _very image. Dante was fighting himself. Flames were licking at them, biting them and searing the flesh off their bones. Dante brought his blade to bear on his reflection—_only to find himself back within the mist and trio of his companions.

"Find what you both have been seeking for and you will feel complete." As the Shaman had finished her sentence, light mist suddenly grew dark, spreading like a wildfire. The mist became a fog; the fog became a shroud of darkness. Something was coming. "You must leave," she warned. Her attention had diverted and she knew that both Jedi would find their way with the Force. It was in their destiny. But destiny had a habit of being cut short when trouble arrived. "Remember, follow the path and the Force will find its way to you."

With that, the vision and meld had faded. Both Knights had opened their eyes and noticed that the Seer had risen and began to open her door for the Jedi to exit. Their time together had come to a close. As both Jedi began to exit, Dante paused and looked at the azure Shaman, her features had become worried and tiresome.

"What is it, young Ravenmoon?"

"Nothing. May the Force be with you, Nazri," he bowed to her before he left.

"You too, young Ravenmoon," she replied.

As Rin made her way out, she couldn't help but hug the older woman.

"I'm sorry we didn't have time to speak, Rin. But in time, we will, I assure you." The older woman smiled warmly towards her niece.

"I know, but I only wish I had known you earlier. I had always thought I was alone. I know now, that I never was." She held her aunt for a few more moments before she let go, wiping her eyes as she left. Dante was waiting for her and wrapped one arm over her shoulder, warmly reassuring her that the Force would make sure that Nazri and Rin's paths would cross once more.

As they said their goodbyes, they made their way towards the freighter; their cloaks were swirling around them. The cool night air had picked up and become a temperamental breeze. Their cloaks continued to ripple rapidly through the night air. The trip to the freighter was silent. They both agreed on one thing, however: Frreral and his apprentice K'Grhuk would join them towards the shadow valley.


	11. Damocles' Sword

_Damocles' Sword_

They moved silently through the night. He led them and he knew they were only a few moments shy of reaching his quarry. He continued to stalk through the night, hunting his prey. Dierak looked to his right and taped into his comlink. "Lotus, I am in position. The village sits there and I see nothing but Twi'leks."

"I know," came the light voice on the comlink. "This is where they were. I can feel them. I will stay here; you move on and head towards the north. I feel ripples there and my sources tell me that the Jedi only left here recently."

"Affirmative," came the cold voice of the Mandalorian. He simply keyed a switch on his wrist and he cloaked.

The Sith soldiers that went with him merely waited to siege the village. A few more moments and Lotus came on the comlink, eager to speak to the commanding officer. "Lieutenant, I want your soldiers to storm the village. Slaughter them, but bring me the Shaman _alive_."

"Yes, ma'am. But how do we know who is the Shaman?" The young Sith soldier asked.

"She'll be the one who uses the Force and a lightsaber," came the cold and seductive tone of the Sith Apprentice.

The commander waved his soldiers to move towards the village. As they ran into the village, the distinct sound of death, explosions and blaster fire raked the village. Hundreds of innocent villagers were slaughtered. Suddenly, a thrumming sound caught the attentions of several soldiers as the sound was followed by the grunts and agonizing screams of Sith being cut down by an azure blade.

Nazri leaped out and slashed at two Sith soldiers, cleanly slicing one in half and maiming the other. She used the Force and shoved three hapless and surprised soldiers into a flaming hut and she leaped into the air deflecting blaster bolts right back towards the soldiers. Several of the Twi'leks began to fight back, using lighter weapons and only a handful of frag grenades. The woman had rallied her own people, while dodging and slashing through at some of the soldiers. She brought her blade to bear down on the head of a Sith before she channeled raw energy through the Force and electricity flew from her left hand, sending three Sith soldiers far away and screaming in agony as the lightning ripped through them.

Nazri had continued fighting, slaughtering as many as she could before the presence of another arrived. She spun around and saw a lithe figure staring right back at her. The Dark Jedi had a blue eye on her right and a green eye on her left with her raven-coloured hair loose and blowing in the wind.

"So," said the human woman, "you're the Shaman." Her crimson blades ignited, her eyes blazing with delight at the prospect of dueling the worthy fighter before her. "Can't say I'm impressed." With that, she leapt at the Twi'lek, eager to cleave off her head.

* * *

They had walked through the long and daunting valley before them. No one had said a word. Dante only looked at his companions before he continued walking through the valley. The valley was a former dale that had dried up and formed a large trench with absolutely no light. The valley of the Shadows was an appropriate name for the trench. The moonlight had reached the plains above the valley, but the shadows had covered the long path that divided itself into two plains. The group had continued, unhindered yet. 

As they continued walking, the darkness had shown that it would not abate yet.

"Looks like there is no end to this place," Rin said quietly.

"I agree," came the low growl of Frreral.

"Just relax, we'll find it yet." The young Knight assured his companions. Suddenly, to their right, an open hole had been found. A cave's entrance. "See?" Dante only smiled at his companions.

"Either you've got really good timing or you're just foolhardy." The wookiee grinned and joined Dante as the young man entered the cave.

The group walked through the narrow tube, ducking from any down sweeping stalactites or the ground rising stalagmites. The surface was rocky and the air was damp and cool. Frreral had begun to lead the group due to the simple fact that his eyes were so much better than the rest in the darkness.

Suddenly, the group came to a halt. There were four tunnels that led elsewhere.

"So," Rin said, after a few more moments. "Where do we go?"

The other companions just looked at each other. After a few more moments, Dante finally spoke up. "We each go into a tunnel. Find what we can and meet back here."

Everyone else merely nodded. Dante left first into a tunnel and Rin followed suit. Frreral put his arms on his Padawan and nodded to the young Jedi.

"May the Force be with you, K'Grhuk."

The whipid bowed.

* * *

Dierak had paced himself, running straight towards the valley. He had continued on, knowing that he had a much larger prize before him than slaughtering a village. If the Sith had a talent, it was certainly for slaughtering. His HUD gave him a display of the route most likely traveled. He smiled. He was going to make sure that he had the Jedi. He had no intention of letting anyone get away. 

He suddenly stopped, looking at the valley before him. _So, this is the Valley of Shadows._ He slung his disruptor rifle to his shoulder and began to continue moving. His cloak would keep him safe for as long as he needed. He would enjoy this day, slaughtering the Jedi and earning his credits.

* * *

Dante walked through the tunnel, eager to claim his prize. He had felt an odd presence within the cave. Something that was elusive and angry. He brought his hand to the pommel of his blade, eager to grab hold of it should the need arise. Something was taking a keen interest in him and the worst thing was that he wasn't even sure what it was. It felt familiar. But whatever it may be, the creature certainly could evade the Force, if only for a while. 

He steeled himself and powered through the tunnel, feeling more elusive shadows around him. The blade was now in his left hand, his thumb eagerly stroking the activation plate. For an instant, he thought he saw a facet of red eyes gleaming at him. The image had disappeared immediately. The vibrations in the Force came from everywhere. The young man stopped and slowly began to notice that the insidious ripples through the Force were continuing to move around him.

Activating the cerulean blade, he spun around and cleaved a kinrath spider in half. He didn't pause to reflect on the fresh kill of the kinrath. Using the Force, he shoved three more kinrath away from his back and he leaped at two more that were coming at him, eager to taste his flesh.

The young Jedi sliced through the head of the sickly yellow coloured creature and drove his blade right down on the creature's other unfortunate companion. Feeling a tremor through the Force, he dropped to the ground and rolled to one side, narrowly escaping the pincer of the vicious kinrath that desired to feast on him.

Feeling for his lightsaber, the young Knight rolled on the other side of the kinrath, only to feel no blade. He looked up and saw that his blade had rolled off towards the duo of dead kinraths.

The kinrath lifted its pincer high in the air and felt an invisible hand wrap itself around the creature and threw it high into a stalactite, impaling the creature. Before it could even realize it was dying, the creature let out a wail and three more kinrath were attracted by the human's presence.

The young Jedi returned to his feet instantly, withdrawing his disruptor pistol and he opened fire on the creatures, one blast hitting one of them in the eye. He spun around and shot twice more at another kinrath, dropping it instantly. He forced himself to remain calm, his training taking control over himself. He used the Force and shoved the other two kinrath into each other, causing them to fight one another while he continued to open fire on the three that were no longer dazed by his Force push. With a rapid movement that would have put the commandoes to shame, the young Knight holstered his blaster and had his lightsaber in his hand, ignited and flaring brightly.

He heard a high-pitched wail and spun around, groaning as he saw a rather large kinrath make its way towards him. There was no doubt that this one was the mother of the nest. He immersed himself into the deeper connections to the Force and he felt the anger roiling from the mother. He bought himself to touch with the creature's mind, to ease its suffering and to calm it down. The creature began to calm down, beginning to enjoy the soothing feeling that the Force sent to her.

Too many kinrath had been killed today, the young Jedi didn't want to make any more die. They were only protecting their nest, but there was also something else here. Another presence that made the creatures calm yet disturbed. He walked through the kill zone, eager to leave the creatures to devour their brethren.

As he left, he found another adjoining corridor that led towards the direction Frreral had gone. He looked through it and felt nothing but an eerie calm within the chamber. The Jedi looked back at the kinrath, who were busy feasting, and he entered the tunnel.

* * *

Lotus had struck three times with her dual blades, each time the Shaman had blocked each strike. _She's good_, the woman thought. _Too bad she has to die._ Spinning around, her crimson blades met the sapphire blade and both Jedi came face to face with one another. 

"You're going to regret this," hissed Nazri.

"Oh, something tells me quite different," purred Lotus. Her eyes burned through the Twi'lek's soul. Her eagerness at destroying the Jedi was nothing compared to meeting the one she had fought before on Honoghr.

Nazri head-butted with the Dark Jedi and brought her blade to bear on the Sith's face. To her dismay, Lotus had blocked it and had begun to push Nazri on the defensive.

"You're good, Shaman. But I'm better."

There was some truth to those words as Nazri had been forced to continuously block each strike that came her way, threatening to slice through her stomach and chest.

The Sith spun around, her twin blades moving like a blur all around her. Her right blade butted against the jaw of the Shaman and she only smiled. The fight was over. She brought her second blade to cleanly slice the Twi'lek in half. "Good fight," she said. She laughed as she enjoyed the expression of fear that was infinitely placed on the shaman's face.

* * *

He entered the corridor. The predator had to find his prey, and this one was very eager to get it underway. The Mandalorian found that he had four tunnels to choose from. He smiled deviously. He retrieved 4 portable frag mines and he began to bury it within the entrance. He had programmed the mines to detect his signature and allow him to pass through it unscathed. 

He made his way into the third corridor. Walking through the corridor, he only found the ancient corpses of those who had gone before. He smiled at the fools. He continued to traverse carefully and silently, his personnel cloaking device was still activated. He heard a grunt from a creature and he began to relish the thought of fighting the Jedi once more. The low thrumming of the lightsaber could be heard throughout the tunnel. He stopped near a half-eaten corpse and noticed a large whipid slicing a kinrath spider in half. The orange blade had lit the way and the Mandalorian was eager to fight his opponent. His training had allowed him to stay hidden even within the presence of a Jedi. Any well-trained assassin learned this technique. The Jedi had a habit of putting an assassin out of business if they were amateurs.

The whipid paused for a few moments, looking around. The Mandalorian cursed himself mentally, wondering if his cover had been compromised. The Jedi looked around once more and then deactivated the blade and began to walk throughout the tunnels. Dierak knew that the Jedi must be well in tune with the Force right now, as he was traversing through a dark tunnel that seemed full of surprises.

Dierak looked around once more and he knew he was alone in the tunnel. He gazed out at the Jedi, enhancing his vision with the help of his helmet and he found that the Jedi found a solid door that seemed to have no control panel or physical means of opening the door.

* * *

K'Grhuk deactivated his blade and clipped it to his belt. The young Padawan felt himself grow more in tune with the Force and creating a mental image of the door, he felt for the hinges, locks and any other devices. The door was completely devoid of any trap. Reaching into his senses, the Jedi used the Force and began to slowly open the door in front of him.

* * *

No matter how many times he saw it, the sight still amazed him. The Mandalorian gazed at the Jedi while the whipid used his mind to lift the door open. Suddenly, the door clicked into place and it didn't fall. He watched the Jedi enter the room and the Mandalorian left his hiding place and slowly began to make his way towards the whipid.

* * *

K'Grhuk had found a room of treasure to some historians. But in it, he only found disappointment and some failure. The room was somber; the tomb had a sarcophagus in the center with the name of a Jedi—Val Qurashi. Behind the sarcophagus stood an obelisk that happened to have the cylindrical shape of a lightsaber hilt embedded in it. He grunted, remembering the familiar name. Dante and Frreral had mentioned the name of the Jedi Knight who had sought out the mission decades—perhaps even a century—before Dante and Alec had begun their journey. 

There was a sudden sound of a bone or piece of rubble dropping. The whipid's head shot up. He closed his eyes halfway, reaching out into the Force to feel what was lurking behind him. He felt an elusive void that wrapped itself into existence and then into another void. K'Grhuk spun around and his blade flew to his hand, flaring to life as it crashed into a metallic blade.

Dierak only smiled through his emotionless helmet. "You're done for Jedi." He brought his sword in an upward slash, expecting the Jedi to counter it. The Jedi shoved the Mandalorian with the Force and growled. "Ah," he grunted, "you're terrified. Come then, let me end your fears."

K'Grhuk leapt at the Mandalorian, his blade eagerly trying to lop off the head of the Mandalorian. With a blunt smash to the face of the Mandalorian, the Padawan spun around and sought to impale the warrior.

Anticipating it, the Mandalorian brought his blade down in front of him, its sharp curve facing the floor as the energy weapon struck against it. In one sweeping movement, the Mandalorian reached out with his gloved fist and smacked the whipid away from him. The whipid was certainly stronger there was no doubt in that, however the Mandalorian had certainly been resourceful.

K'Grhuk thrust his blade for the gut of the Mandalorian once more, but as expected the Mandalorian blocked the lunge. Immediately, using very little effort, the whipid leapt back and spun about, cleaving the sword's handle in two, barely missing the Mandalorian's hand. To his pleasure, the Mandalorian screamed in pain as the lightsaber had grazed his gloved fingers.

Knowing that the fight was not over and certainly enjoying the engagement, Hessian extended his retractable wristblades. He leapt at the Jedi, who had paused for a split second, and he slashed through the robes, slicing through the furred skin of the whipid. It was his turn to seek pleasure from the whipid grunting in pain.

Shaking it away, the Jedi shoved the Mandalorian with the Force into a pile of broken skeletons. It was time to end the fight.

Dierak Hessian couldn't agree more.

"Down you go, Mandalorian!" K'Grhuk hissed as he ran for the Mandalorian.

Dierak only smiled, knowing that this whelp had not even participated in the war. He retracted his blades and continued to lie on his back, his back supported by the skeletons behind him. He waited as the Jedi ran at him. _Two seconds._ It felt like an eternity. His hands were stroking the heavy blasters on his holsters at his thighs. _One second_, he thought. In a blurred movement, he had his blasters out and firing several rounds into the Jedi as K'Grhuk raised his blade in the air.

Falling back from the blaster fire, K'Grhuk dropped his lightsaber, the energy dissipated as the activation plate was released. The young Jedi tried to throw himself into a healing trance, but found the pain all over unbearable. The whipid was bleeding to death; the scent of burnt flesh, fur and ozone raked across the tomb. He heard footsteps coming towards him. He saw the Mandalorian standing above him, blasters holstered and a disruptor rifle aimed at him. "Before you kill me, what is your name?" The whipid wanted to know who had been able to best him, when not even his sparring companions back in the Temple could defeat him.

"Dierak Hessian," the voice behind the mask said. "I'll make this quick."

The last sound the Jedi heard was the discharge of the rifle before he knew complete, utter darkness.


	12. Dejarik vs Pazaak

_Dejarik vs. Pazaak_

The Jedi didn't know who did this. They had gathered after Frreral had found the holocron. When K'Grhuk didn't respond, the group had set out after him. It was Frreral who had found him and it quite obvious no kinrath would have killed K'Grhuk in the manner he died. Blaster fire had been apparent—as well as a broken sword. Frreral let out an anguished moan. He had failed his Padawan—and worst of all, he didn't even know who killed him. Rin and Dante had their hands on the wookiee's shoulder, trying to comfort their saddened companion.

"I should have been there", Frreral began. "I knew it was tactically sound to split up, but I felt something strange lurk around him."

"You did what we all thought was best, Frreral," Dante replied. "The valley would have closed to us if we went with more than four." They were silent for a few more moments. Frreral was saddened, not angry. That would only come later.

"I felt him die… my apprentice… my great pupil. You understand this pain, Dante."

"Yes, I do. Which is why I know that we must stay strong and our journey will reveal who has been responsible for K'Grhuk's death. I promise you, his death will not go unpunished."

"It's not the Jedi way for vengeance, but I know it is the way of the Jedi to bring those responsible for horrendous act to justice. I trust you Dante, but when I find that person, do not get in my way."

"As long as you do the same for me."

Rin only gaped at the two Jedi. "What are you two talking about? K'Grhuk has died, certainly we will find the perpetrator, but do not forget that we are Jedi. We must be impartial and maintain neutrality. We must have peace at mind. You of all people should remember that Dante, after all, you arrested Phaete."

Dante looked at Rin and nodded solemnly. "I know." He looked at the body of the Padawan and he looked up at the sarcophagus. He bent down and picked up the blade of K'Grhuk. He paused and looked at Frreral. "Do you mind?" He asked the wookiee.

"No."

Dante stood tall and firm, with the lightsaber in his hand, he ignited it, admiring the orange glow of the blade. He walked towards the obelisk that had Val Qurashi's blade and drove it into the obelisk, right above the ancient Knight's blade. Feeling that he had enough space to embed the blade within the obelisk, he deactivated the blade and put it through the rapidly cooling stone.

Frreral looked at the engraving on the sarcophagus; it read:

_This tomb is in honour of the noble Jedi Knight Val Qurashi, who valiantly gave his life while defending Clan Mesa from the efforts of the Sith Lord Marko Ragnos. May others, like him, defend peace and justice throughout the Galaxy. May the Force be with you,_

_- Dosheo, Apprentice of Val Qurashi_

The wookiee engraved a message of his own.

_Here lies Jedi Padawan K'Grhuk, who gave his life to restore balance to the Galaxy. May the Force be with you,_

_- Frreral, Master of K'Grhuk_

After they had put stones over the body of the whipid, they sealed the door, welding it shut with their lightsabers.

They had all felt hundreds of deaths throughout the Force. The Sith had arrived and had begun fighting against the village. As they left the tunnels, they made their way to the entrance when Dante scream, "wait!"

Rin and Frreral paused and turned to see him. His expression was animated with fear as he realized they walked into a trap. A cloaked figure came out from behind him and brought his disruptor to bear.

"Wait right there," came the cold voice. "Well, well, Dante Ravenmoon. So this is what you've been up to. You've certainly grown, young man." The Mandalorian had decloaked and faced the group.

Dante turned around and saw the Mandalorian. Rin and Frreral looked at the meeting and had their lightsabers in their hand. Dante's eyes became slits. "I thought you were dead."

"Oh, me? Come now, you know that Mandalorians are hard to kill. Where's your Master, boy?"

Silence.

"He's dead isn't he?" The smile could be heard in his voice. "Well that's one down, now one more to go. Too bad someone got to him before I did. Oh well, you'll do just fine."

The wookiee growled and ignited his blade.

"Don't, Frreral!" The young Knight called out. "He's extremely dangerous."

"He's correct," Hessian said. "I am dangerous. Two Jedi couldn't even kill me, let alone the one in the tunnels."

"You! You killed him!" The wookiee's rage was visible and felt throughout the Force.

"Don't try anything stupid or I will turn you into a carpet for my floor."

Dante looked at the Mandalorian, probing through the Force to grab hold of the weapon. _There_, he thought. He felt the small power pack within the weapon. He could hold it and pull it out the moment he needed. The young man was unarmed. His lightsaber and disruptor were still holstered.

He also felt Rin and Frreral tempted to shove the Mandalorian through the Force, but they ran the risk of Dierak opening fire with his weapon and hitting Dante. Reaching out through the Force, the young man happened to find four other additional pieces of energy waiting to be released. _Mines_. He sent a wave of reassurance through the Force, calming the wookiee, who deactivated his blade.

_I don't like this_, the wookiee sent through the Force.

_Neither do I, _Rin sent.

_Don't worry, I've got a trick or two up my sleeve. On my signal, I want you two to use the Force and leap out of the tunnel—it's mined._ Dante looked at the Mandalorian while he let his thoughts flow through the Force. "You still play Pazaak?"

"Somehow I didn't think you were the chatty type, Dante. Oh well. Yes, I still play Pazaak."

"I'm a Dejarik man, myself. Strategy appeals to me rather than just blind luck."

The Mandalorian scoffed. "That's why you Jedi won the war, you'll say next. No, Pazaak isn't luck. It's about making the numbers work and making your opponent fall three steps behind you. It's my form of strategy."

"Three steps behind you, eh?" The young man smiled nonchalantly. "I'll keep that in mind if I decide to play it."

The Mandalorian cocked his weapon, "not bloody likely."

_NOW!_ Dante sent through the Force. He pulled the cartridge out before the weapon could discharge, while Rin and Frreral leaped out of the tunnel.

The Mandalorian dropped his weapon within an instant—a testament to his skills—and extended his blades. As he leapt towards the Jedi, he found the air explode from his lungs as an invisible hand punched him far away.

Dante crouched and used the Force to lift the four mines and whipped them right past himself. The mines were aimed towards Dierak. As the spinning discs passed inches away from Dante, its arming trigger activated, detonating as the mines hit the tunnel wall near Dierak. The explosions triggered a small cave-in. The Knight leapt out of the tunnel in time to watch the rocks crash down where he was just moments earlier.

Coughing, he tried to dust off his shirt as he noticed his companions had their blades ignited and saw a group of Sith soldiers waiting in front of the entrance. He reached for his lightsaber and activated it.

Over the horizon, a show of colours flickered as bombs and energy were being dropped on the village. Rin was devastated.

The Sith soldiers opened fire on the Jedi as each of them deflected the blaster bolts. Three soldiers went down instantly, taking a blaster bolt to the chest. Suddenly, a swift shadow flew over them along with a mechanical whine that was accompanied by explosions where the Sith line had been. It was the _Thunderbolt_. The ship's engines were thrumming as Sekula had the ship's repulsorlifts activated. The ramp opened up. The Jedi leaped into the ramp as the ship began to take off with four Sith fighters in hot pursuit.

"Get us out of here!" Dante screamed as he ran towards the cockpit.

"No problem," Sekula said, gritting his teeth.

The boxy freighter shook from the fire the Sith fighters were raining upon them. The freighter brought itself out of the planet's atmosphere and barrel rolled, manoeuvring against the Sith's onslaught. The ship found itself open space in record time as the Sith fighters continued to give chase to the ship. Each blast was eating away at the shields.

"Sirry! Hex! Flin! Get to the turrets and decommission those nerfherders!" Sekula called out through the ship's comlink. Suddenly there came more blaster fire, but not from the Sith. Suddenly there were some explosions followed by more blaster fire. The commandoes had pushed back the Sith long enough to get out of the system. "Where to, Dante?"

It was at that moment the young man had realized that he didn't have the coordinates to the station. "Make the jump to Zhar," he called out. At least they would have the Sith off their backs, if only for a while. In the meantime, he would find out what the holocron contained and what the coordinates to Gateway station was. "Another planet bites the dust," he muttered to himself as he left the room.

The ship escaped the small group of Sith vessels that were preoccupied with Ryloth. Suddenly the ship became a streaking star as it made the jump to hyperspace.

* * *

Dante went to Frreral, who lay in his bunk, saddened by the loss of his student. "Credit for your thoughts?" He smiled warmly to the wookiee.

"Perhaps, but I doubt I could afford it." The wookiee tried to chortle, but found it difficult to do much of anything.

"Come on, you know K'Grhuk would never let you be like this. I know his death is painful, but you need to stay strong. Justice will be carried out and we can begin to heal after the war." The young man smiled reassuringly.

"Maybe, but his death is hard. He was my first apprentice."

"Death is a part of life, it completes the circle before we return to the Force," Dante said.

"You recite the words from our training, but does it really mean anything?" The wookiee growled inquisitively and with some hostility.

"Actually it does," the young human started. "It reveals that death is inevitable and that we can do as much as we have in our lifetime to make our family and friends' lives feel all the more special because we have touched them in such a profound way. When we die, we cast this shell and move on into the Force; eager to continue enhancing the lives of the ones we love. With a funeral, it gives us some sense of closure in that our loved ones have moved on. Death also reveals some of the special parts of ourselves and it helps us realize how this person has touched us." Dante smiled warmly, letting a wave of the Force know that his empathy was genuine. He felt himself reflecting on the life of Alec and found that Alec had been a father to him that had made sure he upheld what was right and what was justice.

"Yet it doesn't stop the hurting," the wookiee mentioned.

"No, it doesn't. When we realize how the one we loved has touched us, we can begin to accept the loss and heal our wounds, allowing us to grow stronger. You're very strong Frreral, I know you will always keep the memory of K'Grhuk in your heart."

The wookiee nodded.

"Now come," the young Knight said, rising from the bunk. "We've got to decode this holocron and figure out where our next heading is."

* * *

It had been an hour after the two Jedi had examined the holocron. Dante and Frreral had found themselves taking part of the training from the holocron. They found themselves immersed in the Force and the young man once more took part in his visions. He continued to look through the Force and watched those soldiers and the dark figure. Now, he just wanted to catch some rest as he entered the dormitory.

As he lay on his bunk, Dante found himself thinking of the times he had with his former Master. As a child, he and Alec had used the Force to fling things at each other—obviously in part to teach the child about the use of the living Force—for fun. He had found that most of his memories with the Master were fond, yet there were times where his relationship with the Master was stressed—especially concerning Jade Vel. They had their disagreements, though Dante knew that the Master was looking out for the young man. Unfortunately, the Master's wisdom allowed Dante to continue his relationship until he was forced to cross blades with Jade. It took time, but the Master and Dante had worked through the sadness.

The young man continued to wonder what the mission would have been like if Alec were still alive. _Perhaps he'd find the _Unifier_ and we could restore balance to the Galaxy. No,_ he thought to himself. _It would never be that easy. At least I still have some contact with the Master. He can point me in the right direction._

_Of course I can,_ came the familiar voice. _It's just that you have to do the legwork._

"Alec?" The young man looked around and realized the faint mist throughout the ship. "I'm asleep, aren't I?"

"What was your first clue?" The image of Jedi Master appeared and sat down at the edge of the bunk, looking at Dante as if he were a child again.

He looked at his Master, trying to determine what to say. "I, uh, had to arrest Master Phaete."

"Of course you did, Dante. That man is not to be trusted. Not by you, not by the commandoes, not even me."

"How do you know him?"

The spectre sighed before he explained. "Well, Phaete and I trained together when we were younger. We were sparring partners. He always had an aggressive streak that matched his calm demeanour. He always lost to me. He forced himself to learn all he could, eager to defeat me. He even attempted to create another fighting style entirely. They were all vain. Naturally, his campaign in Borleias was so successful, the Council in Coruscant decided to offer him a seat on the Council in the Enclave. He rushed for it. He looks at the Jedi Order as a career, Dante. Make no mistake, if he can get the upper hand against you, he will take it."

The young Knight looked at the Master with a puzzled expression. Something didn't add up. "Then why is he still part of the Order? Surely the Sith would provide a better opportunity for someone such as himself."

"Good question, my former Padawan. I do not know what lurks within his mind. Even I am not that powerful. But you, on the other hand. You almost felt him through the Force. He keeps himself shrouded in mystery, that one. Be perceptive and wary when it comes to him. Something does not add up, though I know you already figured that out."

Dante only nodded towards the Master. He looked around and found that the mist was cool and soothing. He cleared his throat, trying to figure out how to phrase his question. "We, uh—that is Rin and I—we, uh, saw the Shaman… Nazri."

"Ah, yes, Nazri." The Jedi Master smiled, as if he were caught in the pleasurable moments of his past. "I felt her come into the netherworld, if you must know. And I know you're going to ask _how _I know her."

The young Jedi blushed. For all the bluster that gave the Jedi the reputation of being shrouded in mystery, Dante certainly didn't live up to the idea.

Alec chuckled to himself, knowing that Dante had been curious.

"Well, did it ever occur to you that some Jedi have had relationships?"

The young man remained silent.

"Jedi may not be allowed to have attachments, but it doesn't mean that we can't have relationships. We're certainly not benevolent angels or hellions like everyone believes. We have our own _humanity_. You should know that better than anyone."

"I know, Master. But, she seemed to admire you greatly."

"The feeling was mutual. It would never work though, she had a devotion to her clan and," the old man pointed to himself, "I wanted to explore the entire Galaxy. I participated in the last years of the war against Exar Kun, when I was about your age. That war, like the others that have followed, has taught me much about the Galaxy and the Jedi. Shortly before you were my apprentice, it dawned on me that Nazri might have had the right idea after all."

The young man slowly nodded, beginning to understand where Alec was going with this. "So this is when you decided to sign on for the mission?"

The old man chuckled, amused at his student's naiveté. "One does not sign on for the mission. The Council chooses those who are qualified for the certain tasks that are only fit for some Jedi."

The young man sighed. He was tired and he knew that Alec had come here not to discuss the semantics of the Jedi way nor his age-old romances.

"Anyway, I digress," the old man made himself more comfortable. "You want to know where Gateway station is." He looked at Dante and realized something was troubling him. Something else that Dante didn't seem to focus on—or _want_ to focus on. "What is it, Dante?"

The young man looked at the blue aura man and took a deep breath. "I found the way to look through to the visions."

The corner of Alec's lips tugged, forming a very subtle smile. He continued to wait, eager to hear what Dante would tell him.

The young man looked at his Master. He remembered the soft smile; the comforting assurances the Jedi would give him when he felt he failed the Master's lesson. "I saw three visions. One had a Supreme Chancellor—many years from now—gazing out at soldiers in white boarding a _Sith _warship."

The old man nodded, almost as if he _too_ saw the image at one point. Dante had no way of knowing, for Alec said nothing.

"I, uh, saw another one. A man in black armour. He had slaughtered the people on the planet. I felt his pain." Dante paused for a few moments, taking in a deep breath once more. _The fire had encircled him; it licked at his flesh, eager to taste him._ He closed his eyes and the words left his body. "I saw myself fighting my own reflection. He had longer hair and I don't know if I struck him down. Fire broiled around us, we were both badly injured."

Alec rested his hand on the young man's shoulder. "I understand your fear, Dante."

The younger man looked up at his old mentor. "Do you really?"

He smiled warmly at the young man. "I do. At one point, I thought I was going over to the Dark Side. The Sith war had caused me a lot of grief. A lot of friends were killed. I found myself slowly giving in to the anger that built within myself." He sighed, remembering those ancient, buried memories. "After the war, many Jedi were affected heavily. The Republic also had suffered from the effect of the war. I was still a student of the Order, but I sought out other worlds with Force-users, eager to understand my place in the Force and the Galaxy—but also to see how I could best achieve a balance within the Force, in order to prevent something like that from ever occurring again. I benefited from the many different perceptions of the Force during my time."

"And now we are in another war, where we are forced to kill our brethren," Dante grimly said, lowering his head.

"True, but like the Sith war, our brethren brought it down on themselves."

Dante looked up at the man.

"I learned—after my voyages—that we all must seek to find our place within the Galaxy. Some of our counterparts had never actually learned that lesson and ultimately sought power—thinking _that_ was what the Force willed of them. So," the old man started, looking at the young man seriously, "do you think the Force wills you to go to the Dark Side?"

Dante remembered the way he felt before the vision occurred. He and Rin were above in the spectrum of Light, whereas Nazri was walking a fine line between the Dark Side and the Light. "No," he said, looking into the eyes of Alec. He noticed the old man no longer had the scar that ran down his cheek to his shoulder. He breathed again and said it once more. "No. I am not going to the Dark Side."

Alec smiled at his former apprentice. "Dante, you are strong. But beware; I sense there is something greater than Darth Malak that threatens the Galaxy. Something _elusive_."


	13. Destiny Unleashed

_Destiny Unleashed_

Seth continued to gaze out at the stars. He had felt nothing but sheer rage for Lotus and Dierak. Their incompetence had cost them the second key and the location of the third. He had saw fit to punish the young woman and he let the Mandalorian stay inside the caves for a few days before he let his soldiers retrieve their asset. Luckily, he still had a trump card in play. He had gained the location of the Jedi heading towards a remote part of the Galaxy from it.

"My lord," came the snobbish voice of Vincent. Seth turned around and looked at the young man, who was wearing a black robe with a grey cape draped over his right shoulder. The Adept kneeled in front of the Sith Lord.

"Yes?" The cold mechanical voice did nothing to hide the cold anger that was being exuded.

"We've dropped out of hyperspace. Our task force has formed up on the _Inferno_, and the squadrons and troopships are ready. We are waiting your command, Lord Seth."

The Dark Lord looked at the Adept. "Inform Lotus and Dierak to join me in my shuttle."

_This is a new development, _Vincent couldn't help but think. Trying to act surprised, the young man answered, "you're going to the station?"

"That is correct, Baroque. And I hope, for their sakes, that Lotus and the Mandalorian are successful in my presence. I do not readily accept failure." With that, the Sith Lord left the bridge.

_Well now,_ the young man thought, _this is certainly going to prove most interesting. I can slay them all in one strike. If only I can convince Stormov to open fire on the station when they are on it._

The captain had been a friend of Seth's from the beginning of the Mandalorian war. It was safe to assume he was the only one alive who knew of the former Jedi's identity. His loyalty to the Sith Lord only made things much harder, especially since Stormov knew enough of Sith teachings to assume that anyone that was _not _Seth was a potential assassin.

* * *

The _Thunderbolt_ had dropped out of hyperspace, eagerly waiting to board Gateway station. The vessel continued on a safe trajectory towards the station, passing a nearby asteroid field and what appeared to be a medium sized cruiser. The cruiser had one large cylindrical section—presumably its engine—that was connected to a rectangular section that converged at its bow. Just before both sections of the non-reflective silver vessel connected, there stood a pedestal that appeared to be the bridge. 

As the freighter came closer to the station, the crew noticed that the area contained several more cruisers of the same design. The station, on the other hand, was a large spherical object—almost the size of a small moon—with its eastern hemisphere flattened and connected to a cylindrical shaft that ran towards a large disc-like section of the station. It was presumably the living quarters of the station, though there was no doubt that the cylindrical shaft was the main docking port.

"Wow," came a breathless Dante. He and Sekula were in the cockpit adjusting the ships systems.

"I know how you feel," the commando said, taking in the sight of the station. "I guess when you're living in the far reaches of space, it is better to have some allies rather than strike out on your own." He flipped a switch and received the green light to dock in the cylindrical shaft. "Well, we're cleared to land. Shall I take her in?" He smirked at the Knight.

"She's all yours," he said, grinning. "When we land, you all go for some R & R, while I go find what we're looking for." He unbuckled and left the co-pilot's seat, clasping his hand on the older man's shoulder. "This is almost over. Soon we can go home."

After the freighter landed, everyone—with the exception of Phaete and Dante—left the vessel, eager to get some rest. The first place the commandoes were heading to was a weapons shop—Sekula would go to the nearest cantina. Lon and Simon were glad to join the captain. Rin, Tun and Frreral made their way towards the bazaar within the station, entertaining the thought of purchasing an exotic item to take on their trip back to the Order.

Dante walked towards the dormitory, hoping to grab a few things. He paused for a moment and then decided to go back to the storage hold—the makeshift detention cell of the vessel. As the Jedi opened the door, he saw Phaete looking out towards him, locked in a force cage. The Knight came face to face to the former Master. The Iktotchi only leered back, taking care not to provoke the Jedi in any manner.

"Have you come to gloat, young Dante?" He finally asked after a few moments passed with silence. "Or have you come to release me?"

The stoic young man replied. "Neither."

"Oh? Then what are you here for?" His burgundy eyes locked with the deep brown eyes of the human.

"We are on Gateway station. We're almost finished. When we get back to the Enclave—"

"The Enclave?" The Iktotchi scoffed—the first time anyone had ever seen the Master make any attempt at displaying emotion.

"Is there a problem?" The young man cocked his head, raising an eyebrow as well.

"Dante, the Enclave has been destroyed. Nothing is there, save for corpses and rubble."

The young man was taken aback. "How do you know this?"

"I am a _Master_," he stressed. "The Council knew there was an impending strike. We informed you, which is why you have so many Jedi with you. Malak razed the Enclave to the ground—it's even likely the people of Dantooine are _dead_."

Dante only lowered his head, closing his eyes for a few moments. _It can't be true_, he thought.

_Oh, but it is, Dante_, came another voice—Phaete's voice.

"I will tell you this once, Phaete: stay out of my mind." His eyes held an icy glare that told of millions of ways Phaete would suffer if he intruded again.

For a few moments, both Jedi held their gazes at one another. After a few more, it was Phaete who finally spoke up. "What is really on your mind, young Jedi?" He noticed the slight apprehension in the young Jedi, almost as if Dante feared the Jedi Master.

"Why are you here?"

"You locked me in here."

"Not that," Dante replied stolidly. "Why did you join us in this mission?"

The Master cocked his head to the left. He took a deep breath and finally spoke. "Perhaps I wanted to search through the sepulcher, tombs and caverns that have the artifact and where I can retrieve things I want. Or perhaps I wanted to save my neck and leave the Enclave before its destruction. Will any of my answers satisfy the growing hunger within you? Or will it make sure that you effectively seal the end of my time as a Jedi?"

"I see we will be going nowhere with this. I'll see you soon, Phaete." With that, the young Jedi left the vessel and begun to make his way towards the western hemisphere of the station.

* * *

Haden had made his way from one of the cantinas within the area towards the docking bay, eager to return to his bunk. It had been several hours since the freighter docked and the crew had some time to enjoy themselves. Dante, as it turned out, had met his contact and was eager to get his job underway. As far as the information retainer was concerned, the sooner this mission was over, the easier he could just move on with his life. 

Lately he had found himself strangely drawn towards the Jedi Master Phaete. For some reason, the Jedi seemed to be the only one he could really talk to. Not even his old comrade-in-arms, Sekula, seemed trustworthy. Of course, he figured that the Jedi Master probably thought he was malleable. Haden Torch never bowed to anyone's will—be it Jedi or otherwise. Of course, one thing he could never count on was the way the Jedi seemed to influence those around him.

He walked towards the shuttle bay, eager not to attract any attention to himself. He had found himself in quite a number of predicaments, especially since he almost jumped up on the stage and attempted to dance with an unsuspecting Twi'lek entertainer. Trying hard not to stumble along the way, he walked through the curved corridors and flew past a few warm greeting species that even _he _didn't know. Walking up to the freighter, he nervously looked around.

For some reason, he felt that Phaete was being treated unfairly. After all, it was a few kids who would end up wasting precious credits the Jedi Order needed. In fact, he found that Dante was a bit pompous and even too young to be left unchecked with his own powers. Who gave him control over the mission? The Jedi Council was right to let Phaete come along, in fact, it would seem to make more sense to go and put Phaete in charge.

He walked up the ramp, looking around and making sure that no one was there. For some strange reason, he _knew _that Phaete was all alone—no one had bothered to check up on him. The poor Master must have been starving or thirsty. He came into the main hold, walking towards the detention cell, and there he saw the Jedi Master, staring at him intently.

"Yes?" The Jedi Master said, a small glimmer in his eye spoke the words 'I know what you are here to do.'

The rotund man looked around and shifted his gaze to the floor, almost as if he were bent to the very will of the Jedi Master—but no Jedi could do that to anyone, it was against the code of the Jedi. "I, uh, think that you were imprisoned wrongly."

The Jedi Master bowed his head, intently listening, carefully weighing his words. "Do you? Perhaps you think I am being treated unfairly?"

"Oh quite unfairly." Haden nodded, his grubby hands rubbing against each other.

"And what do you think about me being locked up? Certainly I have no food nor water. I could seriously be hurt." He smiled softly. He took care not to mention that the Jedi could meditate and fall into a trance with which the Jedi would not have to worry about lack of nutrition.

"Why I think that Dante should not be in charge. You should! I mean, he has no respect for his superiors and he has a blatant disregard for the safety of others."

Now it was time for Phaete to say the key words softly. "Perhaps we should have a chat with him? In person?"

"You're right. Give me one second!" The chubby man looked for a control panel for the force cage. He wrapped his hand around a lever; pulling it down and watching the yellowy shield glow for a second and then shimmer away.

The Jedi Master walked out, his cloak swirled around him. "Thank you, Haden Torch." He smiled amicably. "Now let us go and find our destiny."

* * *

Rin, Tun, Frreral and Dante had met at a local restaurant. They sat down, gazing out at the promenade, watching the flow of people. Through the Force, Dante felt the entire station teeming with life. He could barely sense anything else. 

"This is quite spectacular," Rin said, sipping her caf. The stimulating and rich exotic beans made the beverage seem all the more enticing.

"Yes, the people here have worked hard for their home. I can understand how they must feel." Frreral looked towards Dante, the young Jedi had seemed to enjoy the view of the people working together.

Dante continued to peer out, only to feel…something elusive. _Was this what Alec had warned me of?_ He continued to reach out into the Force, probing out for the slivers of the void that came throughout the Force. There was something out there, something he couldn't feel.

Realizing that Dante seemed a bit preoccupied, Rin took her eyes off him only to feel the taunting gaze of Tun. She glared at the young Padawan, who only smiled and looked away, only to glance at the chuckling wookiee.

Miraculously, Dante seemed to miss the entire spectacle. His face seemed to reveal a sense of foreboding. His eyes went wide as he realized what was going to happen. "Down!" He leapt from his chair, pulling his companions down with him, as a loud bang occurred, shattering a wide hole within the shaft, pulling several unlucky figures outside into a cold, lingering death.

The table flew high into the air, the Jedi had held onto the bars that protected them from falling off the edge of the balcony in the restaurant. The air continued to hiss outside, the space was eager to envelope all of the inhabitants, almost as if it were a hungry creature. The atmosphere, continued to flow from the station, unabated as countless more bodies were flown outside. In a short moment, the blast shields closed over the gaping hole.

Struggling for breath, Dante looked up, only to gaze at a sight that brought the most terrible memory towards him—it was the woman who killed Alec.

* * *

As his shuttle launched towards the docking port, he couldn't help but gaze out at the large hole within the station, pulling several people out. His forces had engaged the local militia and the cruisers. The militia had been losing, the Sith cruisers had opened fire and surprised the Fringe forces. 

Hidden inside his sable helm, no one could see the smile that formed; he was eager to cross blades with a Jedi.

* * *

Sekula had dropped his drink as the explosion had ripped through the promenade, destroying a level above where he and Lon and Simon stood. They ad moved safely out of the way when the level collapsed and many people had fallen to their deaths. Many more had begun to flee as several distinct forms in silver and ebony armour came rushing at the Jedi and commando. 

He heard the lightsabers activating, while he withdrew his blasters and opened fire on the Sith soldiers, taking two down in the first volley, while Lon and Simon leapt into the fray, cutting down three more where they stood. _Sirry, I hope you're all right_, he thought grimly to himself while he fired several more times towards a group of Sith soldiers, holding them up and providing cover for the Jedi.

* * *

She stood poised, gazing out at some of the civilians who had fallen and stayed on the ground. She grinned to herself, eager to commence with the slaughter. She looked around and didn't notice the Jedi hunched over behind a few tables. She had been surrounded by several droids and Sith soldiers, mostly flanked by droids, armed with sonic weaponry. 

She turned around, issuing orders to a man in crimson Sith armour before she left, eagerly hunting something or someone else. In that specific moment, several blasters and disruptors had opened fire, hitting several droids and killing two soldiers. In that moment, the calm eeriness of the scene had been lit with flames from a war that had made its way to the Fringe.

The commandoes had made their way to the fight—Sirry was leading the group.

Dante leapt up into the fray, igniting his sapphire blade, eager to slice through his opponents, while Tun made her way to the freighter to make sure that Haden and Phaete were not in danger. Rin had made her way to cross blades with two Dark Jedi, who had made their presence known. Frreral had proceeded to join Dante in the fight, eager to aide their companions. The group had begun to fight, deflecting blaster bolts and slicing through the droids.

In one sudden instant, Sirry dived to the ground, firing rapidly, tearing chunks through the droid that had assaulted the group. Two droids spun around, firing at Hex, who had paused in one moment, a plasma grenade in her hand. She screamed out in pain as her bones resonated throughout her body, her eardrums popped, her eyes began to bleed as the sonic discharge flew over her body. She couldn't gain any balance as she flew back into the tables and civilians that littered the battlefield. Her grenade ignited in her hand, vapourizing the area around herself, taking 7 hapless victims and the 2 droids that assailed her. Flin had screamed out for Hex, watching her fly towards the civilians in pain, with the grenade in her hand. Flin flew several meters away, her heavy carbine flying from her hands.

The Jedi were faring much better, their blades were crossing with the Sith, sending the Dark Jedi back. Dante had sliced through two droids, sending three more back with the Force. His sapphire blade found itself buried in the chest of a Sith soldier behind him. He let the Force flow through him as he brought his blade and the Force to bear on any who assaulted him. He felt Hex leave the Force as a wave of heat overcame himself and the Sith soldier. After blocking a slash towards his neck, Dante shoved his blade right down on the chest of the soldier, tearing the warrior in half.

Suddenly, a disturbance came through the Force; he _felt_ the one who was responsible for this. He spun around, noticing that Frreral had left towards the cantina; Rin had disposed of the Dark Jedi and was helping the commandoes. He glanced around and made his way towards the empty corridor that called to him.

* * *

He left the ship with Phaete; his fear had gotten the best of him. He needed to leave the place and go wherever the Master had guided him. Suddenly, an explosion had occurred, throwing several militia away from the door in front of the Master and the rotund man. The Master had his lightsaber, after searching for it in the dormitory. In a sudden movement, his emerald blade flared to life, deflecting several blaster bolts right at the Sith soldiers. 

The rush of the crowd pulled Haden away from the Master, throwing him towards the other side of the station. He continued running frantically with the mob. Spotting a corridor, he shoved himself right through to it and entered the hallway, running past doors and droids. The hefty man found a door unlocked and ran inside. As he hid behind the door as it slid shut, he gasped for breath, hoping to be far away from the foray. His eyes lit up as a familiar cold voice spoke.

"Hello Haden," the voice said. "It's been a long time."

Whimpering, Haden turned around and looked at the barrel of the disruptor rifle before him. The last thing he heard was Dierak Hessian laughing coldly as the weapon discharged and knew nothing more.

* * *

She continued to run towards the _Thunderbolt_, her only thought was that of the well being of both the Master and Haden. She suddenly came to a stop as she felt a new presence through the Force. A powerful one. Someone was exuding the Dark Side, but nowhere near as much as that which was flowing in the promenade—the place where Dante was making his run. 

She peered out to the hallway across from her and saw her old Master standing in front of the Sith woman who had both her crimson blades ignited. It seemed both Jedi knew each other, in some form or the other.

"Do you really think that it will work?" He asked her, his tone slightly darker.

"Of course," the woman replied. "It will all come to fruition and then--," she was cut short as a violet blade came streaking at her.

"Master!" Tun yelled as she leapt to impale the Sith. "Get down!" Her blade continued streaking for the head of the woman, who only welcomed the fight, crossing her blades in an X to block Tun's strike.

"Time to die, whelp!"

Tun's blade swirled around her, bringing only violet death; her nemesis, however, blocked and parried, throwing the Padawan's blade away from both of them.

"Time to end this," Lotus said to herself, eager to be rid of the young woman and attend to other matters. She glanced away, noticing that Phaete was gone. She grinned, blocking the Padawan's blade, locking it and bringing her own crimson blades to knock the Padawan's lightsaber away from her. In one swift motion, Lotus Xa brought both her blades towards each other—severing the head of Tun Kira.

* * *

Dante entered the hallway; he stopped suddenly, feeling the presence of Tun leave. _No,_ he thought. _Tun… Rin… _

He stood in front of the Jedi, his crimson blade in his hand, gazing out at the young Knight. His obsidian armour revealed nothing except the promise of never-ending agony and destruction.

"Darth Seth, I take it," he said casually. He activated his lightsaber, a cerulean glow flaring angrily at the Sith Lord's crimson blade.

"Dante…" The mechanical voice radiated, somehow revealing the confusion buried within the faceless Sith Lord. Painful memories were surfacing, slowly eating through his resolve.

The young man, sensing the Sith's confusion, lunged at the Dark Jedi, his blade aiming for the chest of the Sith.

Seth, noticing the Jedi's move, quickly deflected, forced with leaving the Jedi with the edge of momentum. He tried to shove into the Jedi, eager to strike; yet his movements were delayed with…something else. His thoughts were preoccupied on someone else… someone from the past. Slowly losing ground against the relentless attacks of the young Jedi, Seth parried, following through with a riposte and kicking at Dante, shoving the Jedi several meters apart from him. "Dante…" He said once more.

"Seems we know each other," the young man replied, not realizing the Sith wanted to say more. Before he could give the Dark Jedi the chance, his blade came at the stomach of the Sith, each strike forcing the blade to come closer. He deflected the thrust of the crimson blade and smacked the butt of his lightsaber across the obsidian helm, stunning and sending Seth stumbling backwards. In a low growl, Dante leapt at the Dark Jedi.

The Sith Lord brought his own blade to block against the young Jedi. His crimson blade whirled around himself, eager to deflect the streaks of sapphire that continually assailed him.

In a stunning manoeuvre, Dante locked his blade with the ebon-clad Sith, bringing his fist to smash against the transparisteel facemask, sending the stunned Dark Jedi back. He lashed out against Seth, a renewed fury and frenzy that pushed the Sith Lord back on his heels.

He brought his crimson blade to parry the lunge the young Jedi made against him, pivoting his body and kicking out with his leg, sending Dante across the other side of the corridor, air blown out of him. He thrust his blade at the young Jedi, who was recovering from the blow prior.

Anticipating the lunge, Dante forced his lightsaber to face upright, only to slam it against the side of the clashing blade, the crackling of energy filled the room. The Jedi spun around in a blur, smashing the butt of the lightsaber against the back of Seth's head, forcing the Sith Lord to drop his lightsaber. Dante knew he was presented with the chance to kill Seth right there. He flipped his blade around his hand and in a backhand sweep, sliced through the facemask, followed with his foot to knock the transparisteel glass to pieces. Seth had fallen to the ground, grunting in surprise. It appeared that Seth was not as malleable as Dante had originally thought. Of course, to doubt the skills of a Sith Lord was to be as careless and ignorant as a bantha walking into a krayt dragon's cave.

Stunned, but surely not out of the fight, Seth felt for his lightsaber, only to have it slapped into his palm. The familiar _snap-hiss_ of the blade did nothing to hide the rage and contempt he had for the young Jedi's ability to best him right there. Dante's skill reminded him of another time… another Jedi who had bested him a long time ago. He felt for his helmet, only to realize it was gone. The helm lay in pieces; only the frame still covered a part of his head: the base of his skull. He smiled to himself; eager to surprise the young Jedi in a way no one would ever think possible. He turned around and saw the astonished look on Dante's face and took satisfaction in the gasp that followed.

"It can't be!" Dante exclaimed. His surprise was evident. The face that stared back at him was that of a familiar image from his past. The face that stared at him was that of two people: Nathaniel and Xavier Ravenmoon. Dante's older brothers.

"Dante," Seth started, "it's me. It's Xavier."

The eyes that stared back at Dante was that of a sickly yellow turned brown. Those were the eyes of someone who had spent the last 4 or 5 years immersed in the Dark Side. "How?" He finally managed.

"You already know," Seth—no, Xavier, answered.

"And Nathaniel?"

"Dead."

The words that struck him were so much more powerful that any weapon the Sith could bear on him. Nathaniel was dead. But of course, Dante had already known that too. _Flames licked their bodies as they continued to fight against each other._ "No…" he finally mustered.

"I am…sorry, Dante."

He took no comfort in those words. Xavier had killed Nathaniel, all in a bid for power. The only thing that Dante could take comfort in was the vengeance of Nathaniel. Xavier had to be killed. He had sold out Nathaniel by joining the Dark Side and throwing in his lot with Revan and Malak.

"I feel your anger, Dante. You, my brother, are right to want to kill me. I am a fool, but do not take your vengeance just yet. You must hear me out. Join me, we can put an end to this war and Nathaniel's death will not go unpunished! The Jedi tore us apart, Dante. Now I can bring us back together. The Jedi did this to us all! If it weren't for them, Nathaniel would be alive, not dead from the tenets of a hypocritical Order. You can join me, and we can make sure that no one else has to die for a foolish cause."

Dante looked at Seth vehemently. "No. _You_ killed him, and for that, you shall _die_." With that, Dante leapt at Seth, only to feel subtle ripples in the Force—only to feel the stun blast from a grenade hit him. Dante felt his lightsaber loosen from his hand, the energy receding back into the hilt itself. The last thing he saw was Seth—no, _Xavier_, walking away with two Sith soldiers who had managed to escape.

In that moment, Seth knew he had made an unwanted enemy for life—his own brother. He fled, leaving Dante to hold on the floor, while silently berating himself for not cajoling Dante sooner. His shuttle was waiting, as was his task force—now fighting a flotilla of newly arrived Republic vessels.

* * *

Frreral had crushed the last Sith droid within the station. Most of the Sith soldiers had fallen back, retreating under the coordination of the Jedi and the rallied militia. He noticed that Rin had ran towards the docking bay earlier during the fighting. He had made his way there, eager to find Rin and the others. 

When he made it towards the docking hangar, he found that Rin had been holding the corpse of Tun, crying softly and feeling the pain around her. Dante had his arm around the poor Jedi Knight; he too had seemed tired and haggard. The fight and some new feeling had come over him. This fight had taken its toll. But it was far from over. The newly arrived Republic battle group had obviously come here on fluke, but now it was a gundark's nest out there.

"We need to go now, my friends." The wookiee understood the pain that lingered within Rin, but like his own, it would have to wait until the end of the war.

"You're right," Dante said. He stood up and looked at the wookiee. "But you have no intention of joining us."

Frreral shook his head. "I cannot join you now, Dante. The Republic and the people here need us. Flin and I are going to stay back here; perhaps there is more we can do. I hope that you find the key to ending this war—and soon, my friend. The Force be with you."

"And you too, Frreral." Both Jedi bowed. "Be careful."

"You too. See you around." With that, the wookiee left, eager to aid the Republic battle group anyway he could. The Sith and the Republic had brought the war to the far reaches of space—the least he could do was make sure that it would be won in the Republic's favour.

Dante watched his friend go, and then he looked back at Rin. "Rin," he said softly. "We need to go."

She nodded somberly. "I know." She picked up Tun's violet blade, then got up and joined Dante in the _Thunderbolt._ Phaete had decided to stay aboard with them; he had found a way out of his cell.

"Sekula! Punch it and get us out of here!" Dante called as he ran towards the cockpit.

"No problem!" The commando punched in a few keys and dry started the freighter, immediately pulling her out of the docking bay and making haste away from the station.

The entire area was lit with flames. Several militia cruisers had been destroyed—and one Sith vessel had made the jump to hyperspace, while the rest continued to fight with the Republic and the militia. Republic, militia and Sith fighters blanketed space, making it harder for the _Thunderbolt_ to evade enemies as well as avoid getting caught in the crossfire. In one swift spin, the freighter gunned its hyperdrive, making the jump to Dagobah—where they could finally find the third key.


	14. Like Flies to Wanton Boys

_Like Flies to Wanton Boys_

His soldiers recoiled visibly after they had seen his face. He paid no mind to it; his mind was preoccupied with another revelation. When he boarded his vessel, he could only stare out into space, the explosions around the station lit the black morass. He paid no attention to the death and destruction around him. It didn't matter—_Dante_ was alive! He could only focus on the image that reflected off the transparisteel. The eyes stared back… they were no longer the deep brown orbs that had brought comfort and peace to those who had mattered in the past.

"Nathaniel…" he breathed. His memories had resurfaced. He knew that Nathaniel's death would never go unanswered. He knew that Nathaniel had fought for them both—and ultimately lost his life in the process. Xavier was gone the moment he had killed Nathaniel. All that was left was an angry and power-thirsty Dark Jedi—Seth. Seth knew that Dante would never join him now, in fact, Dante was now his greatest threat. Malak could never pose as much of a threat as Nathaniel and Dante. Nathaniel was dealt with—Seth had seen to it. Revan was dealt with—Malak had seen to that. All that remained was Dante. If he had amassed such power-- as Seth had felt prior to the engagement--, then it stood to reason that Dante could rival even the power of Vandar and Revan. He could even match those of Nihilus and Traya. But he would be too powerful… he would never reach that power, but the _Unifier_ was the one key to unlocking unlimited power from both sides of the Force. Dante was much further along the trail.

"I wouldn't think of harming him, if I were you," came a voice that reflected his own. It startled Seth, who turned away from the window and gazed right at a blue aura reflection of himself.

"Nathan," he gasped. One of the benefits of being a Sith Lord was that no one would sit in the main hold, especially since it was Seth's private shuttle.

"You know I'm right, Xavier." The voice was reassuring, calm and yet somehow teasing.

"Shut up. You're dead!"

"Of course I am, _you _were the one who killed me." A smile formed on his face, a soft yet mocking smile that accompanied his mocking tone.

"Nathaniel, you tried to stop me from becoming great."

"Look, you can kid yourself all you want, but face the facts Savvy. You sought power and you killed Zan and myself. Was it really worth it?"

Seth was taken back by his old nickname that only Nathaniel and Dante would have called him. _Savvy_. He looked at the soft brown eyes of his brother. The same eyes he had. Not quite. "No…" he answered.

"Of course not."

Seth—Xavier, looked out at the spectacle before him. _The control, the ability to crush those in my way…I can be more powerful than _any_ Jedi! More powerful than Malak himself!_ He looked back at Nathaniel. "Not yet, at least. I will become more powerful than _any_ Jedi. Dante would be wise to join me. We could rule the Galaxy in your honour!"

"Do you really think he'd fall as far as you have? Do you really think that you can delude yourself with these illusions of grandeur?"

Seth stared icily towards the spectre. "They are not illusions. He will join me or fall by my hands."

"Of course, because that's going to make up for the fact you so desperately want someone with you. Lotus isn't even doing it for you, Savvy!" The spectre only chuckled.

"Shut up! I am not Xavier! I am SETH!"

"I'm sure you are. Tell it to yourself a hundred times, but the fact remains that you are Xavier: my younger brother by 3 minutes, my killer and the traitor to all that meant something to you."

Xavier stared silently at the blue figure.

"Face it, Savvy. You're all alone—that's why you want Dante so badly. The last link to us—to _you_—presented itself to you today. It made you realize that all the warmth and love you ever felt in your life is gone because you thought power was the way for you. No amount of power will ever keep you safe. You will always have enemies within your ranks… potential assassins. The list will only grow with time. Your apprentice will kill you in a matter of time."

Xavier could only feel rage at the blue spectre.

"I think that's another reason why you want baby bro. You think he won't kill you!"

Xavier felt the rage and urge to hurt something swirl within himself. He knew Nathan's bloody spectre was right. He is alone.

"Well guess what, Savvy?" Nathaniel continued. "He'll sure as hell kill you now! I don't think killing me in the past is water under the bridge to him."

"Don't call me _Savvy_," he hissed.

"After all," the spectre said, ignoring Xavier's warning. "He didn't know if either of us were alive during the Mandalorian _war_! So it's been even harder on him now!"

"I am _Darth Seth_!" He screamed. "I am the bane of the Jedi! I slaughtered countless foes and I killed _you_!" He rose from his seat, fragile instruments in the main hold collapsed under itself. His rage was visible and growing. "I will have my power and _nothing _will stop me! _I_ will make the Jedi _pay _for what they've done!" He had gazed out into space, watching the growing slaughter as four of his vessels were engaged against the local militia and the Republic flotilla.

"And what exactly is it that the Jedi have done to you?" Nathaniel asked.

Before Seth could answer, he spun around and saw no one sitting in front of him. No reflection…no blue spectre…_nothing_.

"My lord," came a voice over the com. "We're about to dock with the _Inferno_."

"Very well," Seth replied, calming himself. "Inform Captain Stormov to set a course for Dagobah—the final key awaits us there. Leave the rest of the task force to deal with this."

"Yes, my lord."

With that, Seth continued to look out at the explosions in space. He watched one of his own vessels tear apart in a torrent of flames and debris that encompassed many unfortunate pilots. He closed his eyes and entertained the idea of going into his training room where he can destroy countless droids.

He would no longer wear his mask. He wanted Dante to see the face that would be known throughout the Galaxy as its ruler. He wanted Dante to see his missed opportunity. He wanted Dante to know that _nothing_ would stop him. After a few more moments, a dark smile found itself on his face.

* * *

The deaths of Hex, Haden and Tun had not gone unnoticed. The hum of the vessel traveling through hyperspace filled the sounds of the corridors and hold. Not much was said, except for an attempt at last rites for the lost companions. Rin especially was too crushed by the loss of the young Padawan. She hadn't come out from her dorm for hours. The sound of the engines filled the ship's silent interior. 

Flin and Frreral's hasty departure also had caused the ship to feel all the more empty. At one point, the crew would have enjoyed their own solitude, but it was melancholic now. Everyone had found a way to maintain a busy composure. The commandoes were silently grieving for the loss of one of their own. Gors, Sirry and Sekula recited their mantra to the fallen. Phaete spent his time meditating in the cargo bay, eager to pass the time until he would be needed. After the assault on Gateway, Phaete had been allowed to roam free. He would be reported at a later date—assuming they all survived this mess.

Carrying a tray of food, Dante walked into the dormitory where Rin had spent her time, mourning the loss of Rin. He knew all to well about the pain of losing someone close. He kept his pain closed; the revelation of Seth's identity and Nathaniel's fate was far too much for him. He would deal with it at a later date. There were more important things than his own feelings at stake. He saw her, lying on the cot, with a light sheet covering her.

Her eyes were open, rimmed with tears. Her expression was dour. She paid no attention to him, lost within her own thoughts. It would have been miraculous if she even glanced at him. As it stood, nothing mattered to her. The young Twi'lek was gone.

"Rin," Dante finally said.

She said nothing.

"All right." He sat down on the same cot, at the edge of her feet. He could feel the grief permeate through her being, finding its way all throughout the ship. "I brought you something."

She continued to stare out into her own world.

"You need to eat. Keep your strength up."

Nothing but sorrow.

He sighed. "I know her loss is hard. But we need you now, more than ever."

She continued to say nothing.

"I spoke to Lon and Simon. They had tried to speak to you earlier. I know that you feel pain now, but Rin, you need to hold on strong. Don't shut us out through the Force. Her loss is natural."

Rin glared at the young man. "There is nothing natural about the death of a 17 year old _Padawan_," she hissed.

"I know."

"You know nothing."

"I know the pain you feel."

"How could you? Alec was 56, he was near to his death bed."

Those words stung him. Betraying no emotion, he replied, "perhaps, but I also know that even if he wasn't, it still hurts."

She continued to glare.

"I feel and understand your pain, Rin. Don't shut us out."

"She was like a sister to me. Do you understand that?"

"More than you can possibly know." He looked at the grid panel, his expression grim at the recent meeting he had with Xavier—no, _Darth Seth_.

She cocked her head, realizing that she may have struck a nerve. "I'm sorry, Dante. I don't know what came over me."

"It's all right," he said, shrugging it off. "I know Tun was young, but I also know that she has become one with the Force. You will see her again, Rin. Trust me on that. But for now, we need you. The Galaxy needs you. I need you."

"It never goes away, doesn't it?"

"The pain?"

She nodded.

"No, it never goes away. But with the last rites, at least we gain some closure. She'll be with you, Rin, have no fear of that."

"I don't fear that. She was young. She should never have been killed. She should never have been sent on this mission." Her voice began to grow louder. She raised off her cot, looking at Dante, her expression seemingly brooding. "Damn the Council! Damn Phaete! What kind of Master was he? He didn't even train her; I spent my time training her! This mission is not even worth anything! The _Unifier_ doesn't even exist! We're chasing a myth—nothing more than phantoms or-or a fairy tale! I bet we'll find ruins and return to see the Galaxy in flames. They deserve it. No just the Jedi, but the Sith too. They all deserve it."

He felt the words that came from her, the venom in her tone, the anger, and the hatred of all things in the Galaxy. He felt the lure of the Dark Side within him as surely as she felt it within herself now. There was nothing sanctimonious about the Jedi—not when they are in war, at least. He knew she was feeling the pull just as he was. The tempting tone of the Dark Side, whispering in its honeyed tongue to give in to anger. To release all that was kept from reaching its true potential. Dante shrugged it off. He knew the call of the Dark Side all too well.

"They took her away from me. I want them all to suffer. I want to _watch_ them suffer. I want to _taste_ their suffering. The Galaxy's taken everything away from me and I want to make it pay," she continued.

"Perhaps, Rin," he finally said at last. "But that would mean taking away everything that ever meant something. You are not the only one who suffers. Frreral suffers, I suffer, and countless _billions_ suffer daily."

"The Jedi brought it down on the Galaxy. Sanctimonious bastards. We are _Jedi_, we're supposed to be greater than everyone else."

He looked at her, in her eyes. "Perhaps that is why many have gone to the Dark Side. Rin, did you ever consider that maybe it's because we _have_ to be the mysterious Jedi—to maintain that idea of being righteous and holier-than-thou—that makes us fall? The Jedi are many things and unfortunately, we have to take the many romanticisms and criticisms that come with us being Jedi. We are just like the rest of the Galaxy. We just have a bit more talents, that's all."

She had calmed down, at least, for a moment or two.

He sighed, feeling that he could confess to her about the truth between Seth and him. "Seth is my brother. He's so far gone into the Dark Side that I couldn't even recognize him. He told me the truth about Nathaniel. I wanted to _hurt_ him, cause him the pain that I had to endure over the last 7 years… yet I didn't." He looked up at her. "I know what it is to feel the anger, Rin, but trust me, do not allow it to consume you."

"He's your…?" She barely managed.

"Yes."

"How can that be?"

"My brothers… they took part in the Mandalorian Wars. He killed…Nathaniel…"

She looked at him and could only say, "I'm sorry."

He looked at her and subtly nodded. "I know."

"I've lost everyone that I cared about. I don't want to lose anyone else." Her eyes focused on him, brimming with new tears.

"Rin, no one else will leave you, I promise." He rose, embracing her in his arms, feeling her open up through the Force, where he began to soothe her. He knew that the last of her family being killed was what had begun to renew its feast within her. He caressed her cheek and wiped the tears from her eyes.

She wrapped her own arms around Dante, feeling the warmth that came from him. "Don't leave me, please."

"I won't," he said. He held her in his arms for a moment longer.

She looked up at him, in his eyes and saw that he would never leave her. He had loved her from the beginning, as she did with him. She kissed his lips and pulled back, gazing into his eyes once more.

He kissed her, they felt only warmth.

* * *

He lay next to her on the cot. She was in his arms, the sheet had covered them both. She looked safe…content and peaceful. Her serenity caused the Knight to smile softly to himself. For once, in a very long time, he too felt really happy and safe. In one corner of the Galaxy, something was going well. He closed his eyes, eager for sleep to take him. _

* * *

Alec had been forced to fight the other Mandalorians. Dante had squared off against the leader, the one in a rusted blood coloured suit. The Mandalorian had referred to himself only as Hessian. A great warrior. Dante's blade struck against the vibrosword of the Mandalorian, his thrusts and parries were all deflected expertly by Hessian. _

_The Mandalorian was easily a seasoned veteran. His sword continued to play with the sapphire blade of Dante's. In a stunning manoeuvre, Hessian grabbed the hand of the teenager, and elbowed the Jedi right in the face, sending the Padawan back, dazed. Now was the time for the killing blow. _

_Dante regained his composure after being sent back by the Mandalorian leader. He glanced at Alec, who had expertly sliced through one of his opponents and had maimed two others. As the young man looked back at Hessian, he saw the thrust coming at him. Shifting to the right, he brought his blade upright and deflected the thrusting sword, slapping it away from him, while Hessian continued to move on momentum towards the young Padawan. In a blur, the young Jedi spun around, carving his blade across the face of the Mandalorian, slicing at the warrior's neck. _

_He was surprised at the reversal of his own attack—watching in agonizing pain as his instant victory was turned into a defeat. Hessian screamed out for a few seconds, the searing pain on his face, tearing through his flesh and instantly cauterizing the wound. He found himself on the ground, his sword clattered to the other side of the corridor. _

_Dante ignored the fallen warrior, noticing that Alec had dispatched with the rest of the Mandalorians. The countdown had continued unabated, imminent death and destruction teasing the pair. Both Jedi jumped into an escape pod, eager to find a way out. In a handful of seconds, both Jedi clambered aboard and shut the door as they heard the hiss of the docking clamps release and feel the rockets ignite, propelling the Jedi towards the _Guardian_. It appeared that the Mandalorians were only on board the freighter, nowhere else. Gazing back, Dante saw the freighter explode, bursting into red and orange flames. He caught a brief glimpse of what could have been another escape pod ejecting, but he doubted it. No one else was left alive. Not even _Hessian.

* * *

Sekula had continued to stay at the helm, eager to watch any other change. He knew Gors had chosen to get some sleep, there wasn't much anyone could do, for the moment. It was better to get some rest so as to be frosty later rather than stay up only to be burnt out during combat. He had elected to stay at his post. Piloting vessels, even through hyperspace, seemed to be his answer to meditation. He glanced towards the co-pilot's chair as he saw Sirry strap herself in. 

The olive coloured woman glanced at him and smirked. For a demolitions commando, she was still very attractive. Her short cropped chestnut brown hair, flowed against her sparkling green eyes. For a few months, both commandoes had partaken in a rather interesting relationship. One, where no one—not even Flin or Dante—knew of. She had locked the cockpit doorway, eager to just spend time with the dark skinned man.

"Hello there, lieutenant. Is there something I can help you with?" A wry grin formed as he spoke.

"Only in your dreams, flyboy," she punched him on the arm, chuckling as he grunted. There was nary a man who could best Sirry in hand-to-hand combat.

"Well, perhaps I should reprimand you for hurting your commanding officer." He continued to smile until she kicked him. "Ow. Can't seem to catch a break here."

"Well, maybe you can." She leaned and kissed the commando.

"Ah, well then, I think a couple more of these will suffice."

"Really?" She smiled again. "Well, how about this?" She punched him again on his arm.

"What did I do to deserve this?" He grumbled as he rubbed his aching arm. "Commanding Officer, indeed."

She grinned. "Well, flyboy, I think it's time we told Dante."

He looked at her seriously. He knew what she was referring to. "If I do, that means we get pulled off this mission. That means Dante will have to wait while the Sith get the third key and the location for the artifact."

"Sekula, we're going to have a child. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

He looked at her, sympathetically. He took her hand in his and kissed it. "You know it does, Sirry. But right now, if we let them know, we will get pulled off this mission and the Sith may even win this war."

"The Republic is collapsing."

"I know that. But listen to me, if we leave this war, thousands—maybe millions more will die. We are the key to ending this war! I know it."

"And what happens if you're killed during this fight?"

"What happens if we leave this thing unfinished?"

She was silent. He was right. They were both Republic soldiers. This war would only drag on, perhaps even bringing their child into the war.

"Look, after this mission, I'll make sure that you and I will retire to some distant corner of the Galaxy, where it's not plagued by the war. We'll have our kid and we'll be without a care in the world. We need to see this through, believe me, Sirry."

She nodded solemnly. "You better make good on that promise, otherwise I'll make you wish you'd been fed to the krayt dragon on Tatooine."

He smirked. "Something tells me that I already regret not being fed to it sooner." He sighed softly. "I'm sorry about Hex, Sirry."

She nodded grimly. "Me too. She was a good friend."

Before the conversation could continue, a warning signal began to beep. They were dropping out of hyperspace. Dagobah was within their reach. The retrieval of the third key was now their goal. The salvation of the Galaxy lay moments away from becoming a reality. The war would come to an end—one way or the other.


	15. Like Lamb to the Slaughter

_Like Lamb to the Slaughter_

The doors hissed as they opened for his presence. His sable helm was destroyed, but the vehemence within formed its own protective barrier around him. The Force was his shield, his sword and his way to complete and utter power. The determined expression in his gait was overt. The smile on his face exuded confidence and the dark ideas behind his mutilated visage continued to form. This war would come to an end soon enough—the victor would be declared within a handful of weeks. Malak was certain he would win, but no… he would find a surprise waiting for him. A surprise that went by the name of Darth Seth.

As he passed through the doorway and made his way onto the bridge, several officers had to visible hide their disgust, while others could only gape at the image of the Dark Lord. He paid them no mind. He had more important things to do. As he walked up to the viewport, he once more found himself buried in the thoughts of his dead brother and his soon-to-be dead brother. _Oh, you will know _pain_ when you cross my path once more, Dante,_ he thought. _I will force you to join me or die by my hand. You shall join me, for we could never resist the temptation of power. After all, it's in our blood. And when you do join me… oh Malak will fear us both. _Nothing_ will stop us._

Before he could continue with his sweet thoughts, the sound of footsteps approaching forced him to pay attention towards his visitor. It was Vincent Baroque.

"My Lord."

"Yes, Baroque?" He turned around and his eyes pierced through the soul of the young Dark Jedi that stood in front of him.

Stifling the urge to vomit profusely all over the floor, he began to force the words out of his mouth immediately. "We're nearing the final star system. What are your orders, Master?"

"Inform the good captain that we will not interfere with the Jedi. No… I have other plans for them." He turned his back on the Vjun native, which inadvertently caused the young Adept to exhale in relief. Seth only smiled at the apparently uncomfortable Adept. "However," he began, "I want you to inform Master Hessian that he will be taking a small task force of our soldiers and assault droids down onto the planet's surface, wherein he can ambush the Jedi. And then… he can _retrieve_ the keys."

"Yes, my Lord." The young Dark Jedi turned around and hesitated for a moment before he swung back to ask a question to the Sith Lord. "And what about Mistress Xa, Master?" He was eager for her go and die, all so he could finally move higher into a position to gain his most coveted prize.

"She will… be dealt with shortly. I want Dierak to go down to the planet—_without_ the aid of any of our Dark Jedi."

"Yes, my Lord." With that he turned and began to leave.

"Oh, Vincent?" Seth called, causing the younger man to pause momentarily.

"Yes, my Lord?"

Seth turned around and brought his right hand up, squeezing his index finger and thumb close together, causing Baroque to start wheezing and struggling for air. "Question me again and you shall find that being the son of a financier will not save you from my anger." He continued for a few moments, realizing the young man would be better suited alive, for the moment. He released his grip, the invisible fist no longer crushing the Vjun aristocrat. "You may leave."

The officers on the bridge, including a few Sith soldiers, noticing the transaction were surprised by Seth's slightly darker mood. The Sith Lord normally kept himself under much control, but something had severely caused the Dark Lord much grief. Instantly realizing that Vincent had left the bridge in a hurry, they quickly continued their previous chores, eager not to earn the wrath of their Lord. Some were even eager not to earn the wrath of Vincent; after all, the aristocrat had glared at some of the officers who had noticed the exchange and the Vjunian seemed eager to release his anger on someone.

Smirking to himself, the Dark Lord turned around and continued to gaze out at the blue vortex that had enveloped the _Inferno._ He ignored the comments, the gazes. He found himself returning to his thoughts of absolute power, where nothing—not even the vaunted power of Nathaniel, himself—could stop him. Seth growled softly, his memory of the recent encounter with his long deceased brother had upset him greatly. Nathaniel had found a way to cheat death. So had the Jedi Master who wielded the viridian blade Seth had now clipped to his belt. In fact, Seth had a good idea who the Jedi Master was now. _Alec_, he thought. _You will be my key to unlocking the power I crave so desperately. You will be the key to accosting Dante to the Dark Side. He shall join me. The truth shall set him free._ The smile slowly returned to his face as he began to plan how he would begin to teach his brother about the _true_ ways of the Force. The _Unifier_ would be the perfect way to bridge the gap between both brothers. Not even Malak could stop him.

_

* * *

How could he insult me like that!_ Vincent stormed through the corridors of the Inferno, rubbing his throat from the invisible vise-like grip that had wrapped around it. Seth had slowly become unstable, making the transition from calculating to sadistically uncaring. Vincent shoved his way past two Sith soldiers walking along the hallway, eager to make his way to the infirmary to see the damage that the Force-grip had inflicted on him. He could still taste the coppery blood within his throat. The Dark Jedi suffered from a profound bout of asphyxiation, the Force induced constriction on his throat had made certain that he would very well suffocate, had Seth decide to be lenient enough to spare his life. Vincent stormed through the corridors of the , rubbing his throat from the invisible vise-like grip that had wrapped around it. Seth had slowly become unstable, making the transition from calculating to sadistically uncaring. Vincent shoved his way past two Sith soldiers walking along the hallway, eager to make his way to the infirmary to see the damage that the Force-grip had inflicted on him. He could still taste the coppery blood within his throat. The Dark Jedi suffered from a profound bout of asphyxiation, the Force induced constriction on his throat had made certain that he would very well suffocate, had Seth decide to be lenient enough to spare his life. 

He walked through the doorway and went to a medical droid—sentient doctors were becoming a bit of a luxury. As the droid made its rounds upon the aristocrat's body, scanning and applying kolto treatments to the wounded area, Vincent found himself wondering what would have happened if Seth held on for a few moments more. The thought sent shivers down his spine. Death. Something that would inevitably claim him and Seth. After a moment or two, the door hissed open and in walked a sight he could rarely stand.

"I thought you might have hid out here." She smiled teasingly at the young man, no more than a year or two younger than her.

"Oh stuff it, schutta," he replied sourly.

"My, my. I think that Lord Seth wouldn't enjoy you speaking like that to his _apprentice_."

The way she said it, made his skin crawl and caused him to fight the urge to use the laser scalpel against her pretty face. Such a carving would probably put Alderaan's famed artisans to shame. "What do you want, Lotus?"

"Oh, just to see how you are." She blinked twice, feigning an innocent expression. "I think it is quite unfair how Lord Seth treated you."

"Oh really?" This caused his attention to stir. He began to listen closely to what she said.

"Of course. I mean, if he could do that to you, then why didn't he decide to throw you out of the airlock instead? After all, it would have made things a lot easier." Her expression broke out into a smile. "The poor droid wouldn't have to waste valuable kolto on you, not to mention," she leaned closer to him, "it would rid us of the one who ordered the fleet to try and open fire on the station." Her expression became darker.

He looked at her, realizing that she may be on to something…something that could cause Seth to commit to something far more worse than the Force-grip. "Now—now wait a minute, Lotus. You know I didn't order that."

"Are you sure? Because the ship's computer told me otherwise."

"Well, you must have sliced it then." His expression slowly began to pale.

"Well, Dierak was there with me when we found out." She leaned closer, her eyes slowly twinkling with the promises of many possibilities of the pain and suffering the Dark Jedi would endure. "You doomed our mission to failure from the beginning, _Adept._ What I would like to know—and I think that our Lord and Master _Seth_, would like to know too—is _why _did you order the task force to open fire on the station?"

He was silent. He knew that she more than likely knew the information. She knew that he had caught Stormov unawares and ordered the group to open fire on the station. He knew that she promised him thousands—if not more—ways of suffering. He could only shrug, swallowing hard the growing lump in his throat. "I didn't open fire. Whatever information you have is obviously fabricated. I would never do anything like that to jeopardize my position nor the mission. We both know how important it is to _Lord Malak._" He stressed the name as much as he could, trying to pour fear into Lotus. If it worked, she obviously didn't show it. "Besides," he added nonchalantly, "you are Seth's apprentice. Therefore, you would try to capture him in your own web of lies and deceit, killing him and taking his place in the process. Who's to say he won't believe _me?_"

"You're right," she said, after a few moments. "But then again, I am not the one who almost suffocated. How is your throat, by the way?" She tried hard not to laugh and it only caused the young man to flush red with anger and embarrassment.

"Stuff it. I swear, if you cross my path—"

"You'll do what?" She asked him. Her expression was serious, warning and grave. "You'll tell Darth Seth your own lies? You will try to kill me? Good luck, nothing short of Malak, Seth or even _Bandon_ could stop me. And you'll go tell Revan? He's dead and as far as we're all aware, he's not coming back. Malak made sure of that."

There was silence for a few more moments.

"If you so much as try to take matters into your own hand, I swear, by all that is the Force, you shall learn what _pain_ really is, rich boy. Just because you're stuck here as opposed to being on the Star Forge does not make you special. Your daddy won't help you here. And neither will your wealth. I own you, _boy_. Don't you _ever_ forget that." With that, she walked out of the room, the doors hissing softly behind her.

He swallowed once more, eager not to cross her path or Seth's. It appeared there was more than what meets the eye when it came to the both of them. What's more, he found himself curiously enthralled by what Lotus' angle was in this mission. _Perhaps she may be looking for more than the status of _Sith Lord. He rubbed his chin, his eyes glowing with anticipation at the myriad thoughts that could give him the upper edge against her. He would find a way to make her his slave. She would be exposed and _he_ would own the lives of Seth and Lotus Xa. As for the Mandalorian, Vincent would have to act quickly against making sure all variables were _his_ alone. Dierak Hessian would be dealt with.

* * *

As she walked out of the room, she smiled, content in the knowledge that she would force the aristocrat whelp to be exposed and dealt with. She knew he was strong in the Force, but she also knew he lacked the experience to deal with her. He was a great duelist, that much was for sure, but Vincent preferred using a double-bladed lightsaber. His fighting style relied a bit more on speed and raw power, as opposed to her, which relied on skill and precision. If it ever came to a duel, she would make certain that she had the upper edge. 

As she continued walking towards the hangar bay, she found herself drawn to the fight with the young Jedi Knight weeks prior to her rise as an apprentice to Seth. He had been skilled, his sapphire blade managed to hold off against her two crimson blades. She ran a hand over her raven hair, her emerald and azure eyes looking over the austere, scrubbed air bay. The bright light shone on the black floor, reflecting towards the ships themselves, shining on some of the flat solar paneled Sith fighters.

She made her way towards one vessel in particular, a gunship that appeared out of the norm from the bay. The vessel had carbon scoring and was non-reflective silver. It was the _Vaapad._ She jogged into the ramp that doubled as the cargo bay doors, between the twin oblong engines. Her lightsaber hilts flung side to side on her hips, her dark leather outfit reflected some of the light that came from the bay. There was someone there she wanted to see. Someone who had known the Jedi she had fought against.

"What are you doing here?" He called out. His peppery hair was mangled and the dark grease spots had formed along his scarred cheek. He held a hydrospanner in one hand and a—now grease-soaked—stained white cloth. He rose from a console he had been working on. His grey jumpsuit had been stained with the black grease that had come from the interior engine fuselage.

"I thought that perhaps you could use a hand, Hessian." She smiled amicably. It was odd that she felt somehow comfortable with him. The Mandalorian was a fellow warrior and she respected the fact that he could handle himself well in a fight—especially against Jedi. Over the past while they had been traveling together, Lotus found that both warriors had formed a comfortable kinship.

His eyes soaked in the image before him. She had a dark leather outfit that was once more form fitting, with a dark coat that met her waist. She pointed her finger upwards, urging the Mandalorian to look upwards—at her face.

"Up here, soldier boy."

"Uh… sorry." He shook his head, still admiring the sight before him. He looked around and pointed at the engine. "Well, there's not much you can do, I'm afraid. I'm done here, so you came here for nothin'."

"Oh well."

"What's on your mind? You didn't come here to help me out on the _Vaapad_." He threw his spanner into a toolbox, finding a seat on a stairway that led up to the main hold of the gunship. "So?" He said after a few moments. "You gonna stand there, or say something?"

"Oh, well, I just wanted to let you know that Seth wants you to go with a platoon down on the planet's surface."

"Ah I see. So what's the catch?"

"He wants you to go. Without me."

"Ah. Do I get the rich boy?"

"No, he wants to you do this on your own."

"Hmm. Seems things are looking up for me, eh?"

"Could be. But I don't need to tell you to watch your back."

This caused the Mandalorian to look at her curiously. "Lotus. You haven't gone all sentimental on me, have you?"

She snorted at the thought. "Oh please. I am just telling you to be careful because rich boy's going to freak over the investment if something were to happen to you."

He grinned. "Well, I guess that wouldn't be the first time lil ol' Baroque fretted over a lost credit."

She smiled. "Well, as I said, you better be careful. Besides, I think Seth would have a fit if you don't make it back."

He grunted.

"Well, if you don't make it back, we could always take that precious ship of yours." She winked at the seasoned veteran.

"Over my dead body."

"What was your first clue? Oh, I believe Vincent is on to us now."

"Is he? Well that's certainly pretentious of him. What makes you say that, anyway?"

"Well, I told him that we know he is responsible for opening fire on the station."

Dierak groaned. "Well, I guess it couldn't get any more worse than that. Besides, last I heard, he's in no position to dictate terms. Seth must have really been angry. I haven't seen anyone so willing to kill their financier without a second thought. He put an angry wookiee to shame. So, what's really on your mind?"

"Remember that Jedi?"

"Which one? I've killed a bunch of them."

"Well, the one you seem to have a grudge against."

"Ah, _him_." He looked curiously at her. "What do you wanna know?"

"How could someone like him best you?"

"The same way he could best you."

She snorted. "As if. We had a stalemate, not that you'd remember. But really, what's the deal with him?"

"You really wanna know?"

She nodded.

"All right," he sighed. "Pull up a chair and I'll tell you about the boy-who-doesn't-quit. I ran into him while in the Mid-Rim. This was during the Mandalorian Wars. He was part of the Jedi who chose not to fight, but were thrust into the war because of Revan and Malak. We decided to ambush a few freighters that were fleeing. We knew the Republic had an escort group, so it just made sense to enrage and test our skills against them. More like target practice for the inexperienced. We were evenly matched. They didn't know what hit them." He smiled. He leaned in closer and said, "and that was when we ran into him and his Master. Ah yes, Alec and Dante…"


	16. The Quixotic

_The Quixotic_

The _Vaapad_ was silent. The only thing that could be heard throughout the vessel was the humming of a man and the occasional clanging of metal against grid paneled flooring. The tunes that were being hummed were only recognizable to those who had served in the Mandalorian wars.

He was polishing the durasteel chest plate on his armour. The shrapnel and carbon scoring, from battles long since past, had finally taken its toll on the rustic blood coloured armour. His face gleamed with oil and polish and beads of sweat. Battle wasn't the only way a Mandalorian could work up a sweat.

He found some measure of pride in maintaining his armour. It was a part of him, a second skin. For all intents and purposes, it was. Some would have found it highly amusing, relating the fanatically equipped Mandalorian clans to the self-righteous and noble Jedi when it came to armour and lightsabers. Sometimes, the comparisons would go on to add the bloodlust and hunger for war.

Dierak Hessian could care less what other people thought. He enjoyed the fight with the Jedi, any Mandalorian who participated in the war would undoubtedly agree. But, like the Jedi, the Mandalorians were fast becoming an obsolete and extinct group. The only difference was the measure of time between the two groups. The Jedi would nevertheless struggle to hold on to its life. All things do when they look death in the eye. The Mandalorians did it and shrugged, taking as many other things as they could with them. In the end, the Mandalorians collapsed and the Jedi are trying to cling to deceased ideals. In the end, the Republic would know life without the Jedi for several—if not more— millennia.

He rubbed the final stain out of his silver polished armour, eager to throw it on and relive the glory days of the Mandalorians when he would face the young Knight. He could care less about the Jedi, but he had found his fate somehow entwined with this particular one. Dierak let out a sigh, remembering his first encounter with Dante. He had enjoyed telling Lotus of his own encounter with the young man.

He knew that she had faced him too, and like many before her, had not anticipated he would be capable of improvising during combat. Many of those who did, either ended up dead or had joined the Mandalorian wars, inevitably becoming Dark Jedi. Unlike the other Jedi, who had stayed back, Dante and his Master seemed to find a middle ground where they could serve both the Jedi and Revan.

He shook his head, focusing on what he had to do and why. He lifted up the torso of his armor and smiled as his reflection stared right back. "Perfect." Picking up the rest of his armour, Dierak Hessian went to don his armour, eager to relive the glory days long since past.

* * *

He couldn't center himself. Something was troubling him. He found himself drawn to some of the things Rin had said earlier when she was angry. The _Unifier_ and its existence. Whether or not it was merely a ploy by Darth Malak. But if that was the case, then why were the Sith after it for as long as the Jedi? 

He wasn't sure if the holocron might actually be weapon designs for the Sith. Or new ways to restore planets that have been destroyed through war. For an artifact that certainly claimed it would bridge the gap between the Jedi and the Sith, it hadn't proven so thus far. What's more, Dante had found his thoughts wandering towards the situation with Xavier. Xavier had been taken in by the teachings Revan had uncovered. He was responsible for the death of Nathaniel and Xavier ultimately became the man known as Darth Seth.

Dante could feel the rage swell within him, urging him to strike down his brother, tempting him to take vengeance and feel complete. But there were questions that lingered within. His training fought down the rage, the temptations of the Dark Side, though he couldn't help but wonder whether or not joining the Unifying Force meant having to forsake the ideals that were associated with the Jedi. If that were the case, would the Galaxy know true peace?

He knew that from the knowledge that was gathered about the Unifying Force, it was already in effect, to some lesser degree. Many Masters, including Alec, had chosen to defy the will of the Council at times, eager to let go of the ignorance and arrogance that plagued the Jedi Order over the course of time.

Alec, like many of his companions, had chosen to listen to the will of the Force; to explore and to seek out what the Force required of them. There were times when flirting with the Dark Side or even joining it at times, had allowed the Masters to gain a better perception of the Force. But many that had joined the Dark Side, found that they could never return. The lust for power had consumed them. Those who did return, however, found great knowledge—most commonly, they had found that the Jedi were often too powerful for their own good.

Dante couldn't help but wonder if it were the edicts of the Jedi that may have caused so many of his brethren to fall to the Dark Side. There had to be some way to bring Xavier back. Perhaps some way to bridge the gap, be it the Unifying Force or something else.

Once more, the young Jedi breathed in deeply, focusing himself and throwing all other thoughts away from his mind. He let his mind focus on the flowing river that was the Force.

_

* * *

The water flowed rapidly, crashing against rocks—obstacles that had presented itself--, preventing the river to flow smoothly as it banked into a waterfall. Dante let himself fall into the river, eager to touch with the rocks that separated the flow of the river._

_He became one with the river and let it guide him towards the rocks that had split the river in twain. He gradually came closer, picking up speed as the river continued to push him. _

_The flow became frantic, eagerly overflowing and rising over the rocks. The flow began to overcome the rocks, shredding it with raw force, pulling the Jedi further and further into the stream, further away from the bank, closer to the fall. _

A hand touched his shoulder.

_The waterfall appeared closer. A dark object formed a spoon around the edge of the waterfall. Dante looked at it, his eyes opening wide as the object revealed itself as an ivory bird, its wingspan reaching that of over 15 feet, radiating a soothing white light as it encompassed the Jedi. _

"_Dante," it called to him._

_He could only marvel at the sight of the large airborne creature. Its hooked beak was ivory as well. Its eyes were gold, staring right into the young man's own dark brown eyes. _

"_Dante," it called to him once more._

"_Yes?" He stared in awe as the bird carried him on its back, throughout the puffy white clouds, taking him far, far away. _

"_We have to go."_

"_Go where?"_

_The ivory creature soared high into the air, its mighty wings taking both of them to greater heights._

"_Do you trust me?" It asked the young Jedi._

"_Of course," he answered. He had found himself trusting the bird and found immense comfort in the creature's presence._

"_We must leave."_

"_Where?"_

"_To—"_

* * *

"—Dagobah," replied a blue-skinned Twi'lek.

"What--?" Dante opened his eyes, realizing that Rin had rested her hand on his shoulder while he was deep in meditating. She had been the ivory bird that had taken him far from the crashing river of the Force. He had found it odd that he hadn't felt her presence through the Force. But then again, he had also found that the bird that came to him was part of the bond the two Jedi had formed over the last 2 days.

"Sorry to wake you from daydreaming, but we have to retrieve that key." She smiled at the confused Jedi. "Or," she added, "we can let the Sith take care of that."

"No, no, that's ok." He rose, extending his arms as he stretched them. He had found himself exceptionally relaxed and much more rejuvenated. "Let's go," he said, clipping his lightsaber to his belt. He was eager to end the war.

* * *

The _Thunderbolt_ opened its landing struts as it began to descend onto the dark murky and foggy surface of Dagobah. The planet teemed with life, but of a different sort. Darkness seemed to enshroud the entire planet, the planet's natural humidity gave it a much more muggy and daunting appearance than what it had seemed prior to the crew landing on the planet. 

As the landing ramp began to open, its servos and other mechanical components whining seemed to match the overall atmosphere of the planet's inhabitants.

"Remember," Lon started, "if you need any assistance, call us on the comlink."

"We will, Lon," Rin replied. "Just make sure that you and Simon keep an eye on Master Phaete." She eyed the Master with something akin to distrust and contempt.

"You have my word, Rin. May the Force be with you."

"And you too."

"Hurry back, I don't want to stay here for much longer. There is something… dark about this planet."

"Dante and I will hurry back. Just, keep your eye on Phaete. There is something I just don't trust." With that, the Jedi parted ways and Rin joined Dante, who was in front of a bank that led into the murky and fog covered river.

He continued to look at the water, feeling the flow and the darkness that lurked beneath its surface. He smiled grimly. _It's funny how appropriate this planet is to us all. The darkness that lurks within us, where a great many of us revel in it. Is it in our nature to fall to the darkness? Or was there ever anything there to make us fall? The Jedi have a pedestal with which to make their choice. Everyone else does not have a pedestal to fall from. _He sighed, feeling a slight tingling in the base of his spine. He felt her presence close to him. She had finished her goodbye with Lon, the blind swordsman who has greatly aided the mission, in some form or the other.

"Credit for your thoughts?" She said, smiling at the man she had come to love.

He turned around and smiled back at her. "Oh, nothing really. I was just thinking about how this planet is quite similar to the nature of this war."

"Oh?" This had peaked her curiosity.

"Yes. But I shall tell you another time," he answered, noticing that she was exceptionally curious about his views. Her curiosity would have to wait a bit more. As did a great many things. He held her hand and caressed her cheek softly, looking into her soft brown eyes. "I promise you," he said, kissing her softly on her lips.

"Very well," she said, slightly disappointed that she would have to wait. Patience never was any of Rin's virtues.

"Shall we go?"

"All right. Where to?"

Dante furrowed his brow. The Force didn't give him so much as a semblance of what he really sought. The key to the whereabouts of where the _Unifier_ really was. After a few more moments of tuning in deeply to the Force, he found a small sparkle of light that touched him. The Force opened itself up to him, urging the Jedi to come further. The Jedi embraced the warmth that began to surround him, only to find an image of a rock face between two trees on a flat surface not too far from where he and Rin stood. There came a small opening within that rock face, a tunnel that would allow a person to enter it.

He opened his eyes a few moments later, adjusting his eyes to the dim light that found its way into the planet. He regretted not staying in the warmth of the Force for a bit longer, but he knew it was almost like an ambrosia to him. Something he could never quite understand. There had always been a reinforcement from the Force, something which Alec had taken advantage of and used at times to allow Dante to finish tasks and other forms of exercises. It had almost been as if Alec himself had been guiding the young Jedi to the key, his love for the former pupil bathing Dante in the near amorous wave.

She glanced at Dante. "Have you found it? I can't seem to sense anything, especially since this planet is teeming with the frantic pace of life."

"I have, Rin." He looked up at her, kissing her softly on the lips once more. "It's not too far, we have to go now." He smiled, a twinge of excitement overcoming the young man. He felt as if his training didn't exist, as if he were nothing but a young carefree child again.

They began to leave, eager at the capture of the third key. The Sith were right behind them and it was very likely that the Jedi would run into the Sith.

Dante found his attention falling more and more to how Xavier could have fallen to the Dark Side, killing Nathaniel in the process. It didn't make much sense to him. They had always been close, almost as renown as Revan and Malak. Unfortunately, the Mandalorian wars changed that, resulting in the names that were synonymous for good and noble, being altered to evil and conquerors.

Dante barely noticed their arrival to the rock face until Rin tapped his shoulder. He looked up, and noticed she was looking at him in a very concerned tone.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just… dwelling on my brothers' fate."

"I understand," she answered softly. "I find myself thinking about the fate of my family, the Jedi Order and those who had nothing to do with this war."

"I know. They are all suffering for some reason we all cannot seem to understand. If only Revan were alive to tell us. Malak doesn't seem too intent to talk." He imagined Malak appearing on one of the popular talk shows on Coruscant and within the Republic. Dante grinned.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh nothing." He laughed to himself as they entered the rock face, eager to confront whatever awaited their destinies.


	17. The Dogs of War

_The Dogs of War_

Dante and Rin made their way through the caverns, the silence filled with the background noise of the indigenous life throughout the planet. They carefully fondled their lightsabers, eager to withdraw it if something hostile appeared. At this point, in the dark rocky caverns, anything that was not Dante or Rin qualified as hostile. Somewhere, the sound of dripping water joined the background noise.

Dante paused suddenly. Something moved through the shadows. The Force seemed to no avail at this point, especially since the planet somehow was immersed in the Dark Side. He withdrew his lightsaber, thumbing the activation plate on the cylindrical weapon.

"What is it?" Rin couldn't feel the presence either.

"This place is fraught with danger. Be wary, I can't sense it, but there is something out there." He continued to peer out at the shadows. Something had moved, but right now it stood still, somewhere.

"Perhaps there is another way—" Rin was cut short when all the air exploded out of her lungs as she was sent flying towards the rocky walls. She slammed against the wall, only to fall to the ground, unconscious and unwary of the danger that now presented itself to Dante.

Igniting his blade, Dante leapt into action, striking out at the invisible opponent, who revealed himself in armour shrouded in ebony. He had no face, only a helm that seemed to resemble the last person Dante fought against—his brother Xavier.

"No…" he whispered as his thrust was parried by a crimson blade made entirely of light.

The faceless warrior said nothing as he attempted to decapitate the young Jedi.

Leaping back, Dante avoided the arced slice as he brought his blade to lock with the dark warrior's crimson blade, shoving the warrior away from him. The young Jedi continued, forcing himself to stave off his growing rage at the betrayal of his own brother. He swung his blade wildly, forcing the shadowed Sith to continue backing away while defending each blow that came his way.

He found his rage unbearable, the betrayal continuing to play itself out in the Jedi's mind. In a primal growl, Dante continued to push the Sith back, while the Sith continued to successfully parry and deflect each blow.

In one sudden movement, Dante spun around, kicking out at the chest of the shadowed Sith Lord, sending the Sith back once more. In that one movement, the Knight continued his 360 degree spin, unhindered, as his blade cleanly sliced Darth Seth's head off.

Dante looked on as the Sith's head bounced and rolled to the side. As he gazed at the head, the helmet tore off without any aid. The face that returned the gaze, turned the stomach of the Jedi. It was his face. He couldn't believe it, as his own face was contorted in a mix of surprise, disgust and fear—fear he would ultimately join the Dark Side.

After a few more moments, the body and head of the dark Dante dissipated, joining the fog and the shadows. Dante could only gape at the sight that had previously lain in front of him. Realizing that Rin was knocked unconscious, the Jedi rushed to meet her, eager to see how she was and much more eager to leave the cave as soon as possible.

"Rin, are you all right?" He asked her, holding her close to him as she rubbed her head while her lekku twitched a bit.

"I'm fine," she said, shaking her head a bit. "How are you? What happened?"

"It was… some sort of Force presence."

"That must be some powerful Force presence." She attempted to smile, lightly amused at the weak joke. Her smile faltered as Dante had a grim expression on his face. Clearly he was disturbed. "Are you all right?"

He continued to replay the incident in his head, eager to understand why that had happened and why _he_ was in Seth's armour. After a moment, realizing that he didn't answer Rin's question, he looked up at her and smiled casually. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Nothing to worry about. Can you walk?"

She nodded her head, and the two Jedi rose and continued through the caves.

"This place must be a tomb." She gazed about the rock face, noticing how the jagged rough edges began to smooth out and seem more like it was engineered to be a room.

"I think you're right," Dante answered, his gaze focused on what stood in front of both Jedi. "I think that is what we're looking for." He pointed towards the sarcophagus that stood in front of both Jedi, as well as three pedestals right behind the sarcophagus. He entered the antechamber, looking at both sides only to see two statues facing each other, with both Rin and Dante in between.

The stone statues both appeared to wield swords that were raised upwards at one another. Whatever other features both statues once held were now gone, as erosion took its toll on the centuries' old statues.

Dante walked towards the sarcophagus while Rin continued to look at the statues and the rest of their surrounds. He rested his hand on top of the lid, wiping away cobwebs and blowing away the dust that had eventually settled within the tomb and its prize. As the dust blew away, Dante's eyes went wide.

"It can't be!" He exclaimed.

"What is it?"

"It was Val's apprentice… Dosheo." He lifted his head to return the wide eyed stare that Rin had on her face.

"What does it say?"

"It says… _Here lies Dosheo, Jedi Knight seeking the lost artifact and who gave his life to protect that which needed to be protected…_"

"Is that it?"

"There appears to be nothing more. I don't understand, who could have buried him there and leave his quest unsolved?" Once more he looked up at his companion.

"Wait, there are pedestals… we should see if there are holocrons or anything," Rin offered to Dante.

As he moved to the pedestals, he found nothing except for a small holopad that he could use on a holovid terminal. He turned around to look at the sarcophagus, hoping not to defile the former Knight's remains, but eager to see if there was anything that could aid his own quest to find that which had failed to be found for centuries.

Dante lifted open the lid, to see the bones of the Jedi, holding his lightsaber close as well as a cloth wrapped around something lying at the bottom of the sarcophagus, just below Dosheo's feet. Taking the blade and clipping it to his belt, Dante picked up the cloth.

Unwrapping the cloth, he found two things which made him gasp. The first object was a holocron that appeared to be virtually untouched and not phased from the years of erosion. The second object appeared to be a near cylindrical object that was made of a type of stone. It had intricately designed runes of a sort—a language that had disappeared over time--, but it was surely the key they had sought. The cylindrical stone flattened out at one end, forming a variety of wedged shapes on both sides of the flat space.

He gazed at Rin, who appeared as pleasantly surprised as him. "Looks like we'll be going home soon enough."

She rushed to him and kissed him softly, holding herself close to him, speaking softly. "This will soon be over, Dante. We can live out our lives far away from this. We can live again."

He kissed her forehead. "I know, Rin. We'll leave far, far away."

She held him tighter.

A cough interrupted the two. "Sorry to ruin your moment, Dante, but I think you'll be going nowhere."

Turning around, Dante saw Dierak Hessian standing in front of the exit, with 6 Sith Soldiers behind him. "Do we have to do this, Hessian?"

"You know I do. You stopped me from fighting at Malachor."

"Perhaps, but I did you a favour." His eyes and voice were both venomous, promising the Mandalorian insurmountable pain.

"Maybe, but all the same, I'd like to repay the gesture." The cold, remorseless voice that had normally been associated with Mandalorians certainly failed now. Dierak's voice held rising rage against the young Jedi, remembering when his certain victory was snatched from him.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. You're only a pawn where things are concerned right now. My brother will kill you once he gets what he wants."

"I've dealt with Jedi before." Raising his disruptor at the Jedi who stole it all from him.

"I was a Padawan when I defeated you," Dante replied somewhat smugly. He planted his feet in a stance akin to many Jedi fighting styles. His lightsaber was in his hand, as was Dosheo's blade. _I certainly hope Dosheo's blade still works_, he silently prayed.

"The Jedi have become Relics," the Mandalorian continued to say.

"Just like the Mandalorians?"

"The Mandalorians will rise again. The Jedi, however, shall not. I'll be making sure of that." Behind the mask, Dierak smiled, eager to fight Dante and see who would emerge victorious. He had the advantage, but he counted on the young Jedi's resourcefulness. It had proven to be to the young Jedi's penchant.

With that, Dante ignited both lightsabers, a sapphire blade in his right hand and an emerald blade in his left, while he leapt at the Mandalorian. He felt a ripple through the Force, understanding that Rin had done the same, igniting her own sapphire blades.

The veteran strafed to his left, squeezing the trigger of his rifle, only to hear the sputter of energy as one of the blades cleaved the weapon in half. To his dismay, he dropped his rifle and extended his wristblades, eager to meet his quarry head on.

Immediately, the soldiers opened fired, causing Rin to deflect the bolts that flew at both Jedi. She deflected three bolts, two of which went wide while the other smashed across the face plate of an unfortunate Sith. She ran towards the other Sith, slicing through three of the hapless soldiers in their torsos, as she passed through, deflecting the blaster bolts and shearing blaster rifles in half. She continued to rampage unchecked as helpless Sith were torn asunder.

"You're not going to win this time!" Dierak screamed as his blades matched the Jedi's own ferocity and skill.

"It's not about winning, Hessian. I thought _you_ of all people would have known that!" Dante spun about, arcing one of the blades around into the stomach of the Mandalorian, only to be strike against a cortosis blade. His second blade reached over his back and locked against the second blade of the warrior, both fighters were locked in a stalemate.

"It's about the glory of battle, Dante. And I know that you enjoy the thrill of the fight, just like a _Mandalorian_," he hissed as he threw his weight on his left leg and spun around, pivoting his left leg while his right leg kicked out, knocking the Jedi backwards.

"I'm not like you! Nothing likeyou!" Dante screamed as he brought both of his blades to strike out at the head of the Mandalorian, only to have the warrior duck and roll to his left, striking out and slicing across the calf muscle of the Jedi.

"You're getting sloppy." The Mandalorian continued to assail the Jedi, pushing the Knight back on his heels while trying to find an opening to drive his blade into the chest of the Jedi.

Dante continued to block and parry each thrust and slash from his opponent, taking care not to exploit another weakness as he found the pain in his leg catching up with him. The slash had forced his blood to flow, ever so slightly, causing the Jedi to stumble and stagger back as he was slowly being bested by the Mandalorian. He knew that the Mandalorian might have sliced through quite a bit of muscle for his movement had become sluggish in his right leg.

In a surprising blur, Dierak Hessian retracted his blade and extended his right arm, while his left hand tapped a key on his wrist. A dull blast of sonic energy discharged from the gauntlet, shoving the Jedi back against the wall, forcing all air from his lungs and loosening Dante's grip on his blades.

Dante could only watch in agony as his energy blades retracted and felt thousands of miles away from him. He could barely move; the Force seemed to be further away from him each passing moment. In time, his death would come. But not now. It couldn't be now. Trying as hard as he might, the young Knight urged every fiber of his being to let him rise now and end his fight with Dierak. Slowly, but surely, the Jedi began to rise, regaining some mastery over his own body again, though his ears were still thrumming loudly from the impact of the sonic weapon.

Ignoring the futile attempts from Dante, Hessian turned around and quickly withdrew his blasters and opened fire on the Twi'lek Jedi.

She dodged and deflected every blaster bolt that flew at her, as she raced towards the Mandalorian. Through gritted teeth, she yelled, "you—will—die!" She spun about, slicing through one of the heavy pistols while her other blade sought the head of the man who had attempted to kill her beloved.

Dodging the slash to his head, Dierak crouched and swept Rin's feet out from her, causing the Jedi to fall. He rose, with his one good blaster left in his hand, he aimed at the Jedi, only to feel an invisible fist send him into the air, towards the other side of the room. The Mandalorian grunted as his body collided against the wall of the antechamber.

Slowly but surely, Dante had risen and now made his way to Rin, hoping that he was not too late. As he kneeled, feeling his joints ache even more, he caressed her cheek and felt her life through the Force. She was not dead. She wouldn't die. He would not let any more of his loved ones be taken away from him.

Rising once more, Dante gazed at the dazed Mandalorian. "This ends now, Hessian." The urge to strike down the Mandalorian with the Force was too great. The power to kill, to crush the very essence of this man, was what enticed the Jedi. He wanted to taste the death, feel the fear and life squirm from the Mandalorian's very being, as the Force would hold him high into the air and then rip his life from right out of his body.

_No_, he thought. _This isn't the way of the Jedi_.

_Jedi be damned. He nearly killed Rin, he nearly took her _away_ from you._

Dante paused for a moment, listening to the voice that rang in his head, conflicting with his own rationality.

_Kill the Mandalorian. You know he will not hesitate to strike you down, Dante._

That voice… it sounded so…wise, so powerful, so _tempting_.

The Jedi continued to rage his own mental war at the unknown voice, unaware of the slowly rising—and very, very angry—Dierak Hessian.

_I will _not _strike him down in anger!_

_It will only be a matter of time until he kills you and everyone you love. Alec is gone. Nathaniel and Xavier are gone. Do you want Rin to leave you?_

"No…" the young Jedi whispered.

Hessian rose, his rustic crimson armour now dusty, the silver plating was marked and scorched. His helmet was damaged. The Mandalorian wanted to finish this fight with the Jedi. Removing his helmet, he noticed that the helmet would be irreparable now. It was dented and all systems were destroyed as well as the fact that there was now a missing visor. He looked down to his weapon gauntlet only to see a damaged console. Under his breath, the Mandalorian cursed.

Sweat glistened on the face of the older man, his peppery messy hair was now soaked in sweat. His breathing was heavy, and one thought came to mind. Why wasn't he dead yet?

Turning around, the Mandalorian saw his answer before his very eyes. The Twi'lek was unconscious and Dante was caught up in a mental battle between Jedi semantics. Grimly smiling, knowing that Dante would very much kill him without a hesitation, the Mandalorian extended his blades and began to walk towards the hapless Jedi.

_He is coming towards you. He is eager to relish in the kill, Dante. Kill him. You have to._ The voice began to shift from heavenly tempting, to dark, sinister and angry. _Kill him, crush the very life from the man and you can have her all to yourself._

Eyes widening in horror, the stalwart defender shook his head, pushing thoughts aside and lunged at the Mandalorian, catching Hessian with something akin to surprise.

Knocking the blades aside, the Jedi smashed his fist against the face of the Mandalorian, eager to render him unconscious.

The Mandalorian, however, had no such plans. He pulled the Jedi and flipped Dante over him while attempting to pin the Jedi and embed his blade into the base of Dante's skull.

Feeling a renewed surge of strength from a combination of the adrenaline and the connection to the Force, Dante used the Force to shove the Mandalorian high into the air, while rolling away from under Hessian.

As the Mandalorian plummeted back to the ground, Dante reached for the nearest lightsaber. Dante found himself tackled into the ground again as the blade flew to him, only to clang against the sarcophagus. His head smacked against the rocky surface, dazing the Jedi as the Mandalorian grabbed him by the shirt.

Swirls of black encompassed his vision. He found himself falling into the darkness as he listened to the last words of Dierak Hessian.

"Now," Dierak breathed, "you will die." Hovering over the Jedi, he extended both of his blades as he began to drive them towards the chest of Dante, eager to impale the unfortunate guardian of peace and justice.

He stopped suddenly, letting out a gasp as a familiar _snap-hiss_ found its way buried in his chest. A glowing emerald light extended from the Mandalorian's chest.

"Oh…" Hessian said, as he found he could no longer breathe and found the impending darkness welcoming.

"No…" she whispered softly as she looked in shock at Dante, lying on the floor with an opened wound on his chest, close to his heart. Shoving the Mandalorian's body aside, Rin deactivated the blade and dropped closer to Dante, holding him close to her breast as she pressed her hand against his chest, forcing the midichlorians to encourage his cells to regenerate and repair the slits in his chest.

She felt his life slowly ebbing away, edging closer to the comfort of eternal sleep. She knew Dante was drifting into unconsciousness as his life was drifting away. She continued to focus her will on keep her love alive, as thoughts of losing him flooded into her mind. She began to drip tears of sorrow at the impending truth she was beginning to face: Dante was going to die.


	18. Where Angels Sleep and Devils Lie

_Where the Angels Sleep and Devils lie_

"_Dante," the warm voice called out to him. "Dante." That voice seemed so very important to him. The warmth he felt, the caring, the love. "You need to wake up."_

"_I don't want to," he called out, his eyes still closed. He had felt almost as if he could care less about the rest of the world. It was safe, where he was._

"_But you must."_

"_Why?"_

"_Because you're not done yet."_

"_What do you mean? I want to sleep. I can always finish tomorrow."_

_The warm, feminine voice chuckled. "Well, what if there were no tomorrow?"_

"_What do you mean? There will always be a tomorrow."_

"_Not always, Dante. Not for some. But for you, there shall be plenty; that I promise you."_

"_Can I go back to sleep now?"_

"_No, Dante." _

_Opening his eyes, he couldn't help but be admired by the cool air as it touched him. The blossoms from the tree he sat under flew, almost as if they had a will of their own. The sweet scent of fruit filled his senses and nurtured his desire to feast on them. _

_He looked around and found that he was lying under the shade, resting on the trunk of the oaken tree. A warm hand caressed his back, as he traced her arm all the way to her shoulders. _

_Unwittingly tickling her, she giggled, which caused the Jedi to smile even more. He leaned in and kissed her, tasting her lips and letting the Force flow between them. She smiled even further, sending a wave of love and reassurance to the Jedi. _

"_You know, I could never stop loving you." _

"_I know," she said, her smile never faltering for a moment. _

_He felt something within her, a shifting, yet minute and subtle shift in her presence. "What is it?" He asked her, his concern growing slightly more and more with each passing second._

"_You know that this is not real." _

"_Ah, I feel that it is. Besides, what's not to love about this place? Dantooine is a fine place for us to stay. We could rebuild the Enclave, or we can stay here, by the grove and by our home."_

"_Do you think the children will like that?"_

"_The kids…?" Now he was puzzled. It only occurred to him that he hadn't_ really_ looked at her. He didn't even know who she was. He began to turn around, only to face… what? He continued to look, hearing the faint whisper echo around him._

"_Dante… wake up…"_

_The faint whisper seemed somehow… familiar; somehow _alive_. Suddenly, the grove began to shift into something less than appealing. Darkened clouds enshrouded the peaceful blue sky; lightning raged within the onyx spectres as a powerful wind tore the flower heads off their precious stems, sending them away into a chaotic, yet somehow serene blossom. _

"_Where am I?"_

"_You're lost within the Force," came a cold and deep reply. "As am I…"_

_Turning around, to gaze at this new figure that stood before him, clad in the blackest of black cloaks, hiding the shadowed face, Dante could only ask, "and you are…?"_

"_Are you familiar with the history of the Galaxy?"_

"_Some of it…"_

"_Hmm… have you been to Korriban?"_

_Surprised, he could only reply to the figure, "you're a Sith Lord?"_

"_Perhaps. Perhaps not. What I am now is nothing but a mere ethereal vision that has some… tangibility in your realm. Strange; I feel the presence of Light within you, yet… I sense the darkness has tasted you, in some form."_

_The voice… Dante had heard this voice before. It suddenly made sense. "I've heard your voice before."_

_Sighing, the figure removed the hood to reveal a pale, drab face, with piercing orange eyes and no hair. The face was long and tired, with years of weariness that seemed to make his appearance seem much more daunting. "You may call me Tulak."_

Why does his name seem so familiar?_ The young Jedi tried to recall where the old man's name had come up and found that there was one place where it would have been found. The one place where—_

"_You are carrying something that is very important."_

"_Tulak Hord. You're the legendary blade master. The Sith who had killed countless Jedi with a fearsome—no."_

"_That is correct, young Jedi." The ageless figure smirked, hinting with perfect white teeth, all shaped like incisors; his eyes twinkled with a dark promise. "I am tired, however. And let us say that the darkness is no longer _comforting_," the former Sith said, stressing the last word. _

"_So what do you want with me?" Dante kept his expression guarded, eager to put as much distance between him and the much-feared Dark Lord of the Sith—even if the figure wasn't as powerful as the Jedi had stipulated._

_Smiling, the former Sith Lord shook his head. "I am not what you think, Dante. I merely wish for, shall we say, reconciliation with my former allies." _

"_Former allies?"_

"_Yes, I was a member of the Jedi Order, long before my…descent—or ascent—into the Dark Side. Regardless of my past, there is much that I must ask of you."_

"_Ask? You were a Sith Lord who began to goad me into joining the Dark Side so I can kill—" Suddenly it came back to the young Jedi. Hessian driving his blades into Dante's chest. The burst of pain and fire from within his body igniting and sending him into the grove. He was unconscious, but he heard the last words from the Mandalorian: _"Now you will die…oh…"_ He found a great weight was lifted from him, followed by himself rising while another faint voice continued to call him._

"_Dante…wake up…the wounds, they're gone…I can feel you…"_

_It was Rin. Dante knew it. He looked back at the former Sith, who continued to wait patiently for the Jedi. "You know something, don't you?"_

"_I know that which you face, Dante."_

"_Do you really?"_

"_Evil begets evil. I know that which can create curds out of the blood of men…and women alike."_

"_What is it that you want, Tulak?"_

"_Two favours, which is all I ask of you. Only then, can I truly be free—" and in a tone that spoke myriad ways of torment, "—and so will you."_

"_What are your terms?" He asked the older man, attempting to betray no emotion and remain undaunted._

"_Destroy the holocron which you carry from the Knight's tomb. It is that which needed to be protected. It is a form that can consume the warrior."_

"_It is the holocron that you created to teach your fighting style."_

"_Yes."_

"_All right, what next?"_

"_Kill Phaete."_

_Now the Jedi was taken aback. "What do you mean 'kill' Phaete?"_

"_Exactly that, young Jedi. He is one of the very things that profane this Galaxy. He should not be allowed to live. It is a travesty that he has continued to live, thus far."_

"_A Jedi does not allow his prisoners to be killed."_

"_Believe me, he is no Jedi."_

"_And you are? You still expect me to take the word of a Sith Lord?"_

"_I don't expect anything. Just know that I have the ability to keep you alive… for now. If you choose not to listen to me, you will find that my honey-tongued words can become razor-sharp talons."_

"_And I can be rid of you…" This was something he didn't want. Something wasn't right. The years—and the Dark Side—had obviously been unkind to the Sith, yet somehow, it didn't appear as if the vaunted Dark Lord wanted to be redeemed. It almost appeared as if he sought a vessel with which to do his bidding._

"_I can feel your rage rising, Dante. Do you want to listen to the soft whispers and strike me down?" His tone became venomous as a crimson blade ignited from his very hand. "Or do you plan to stand there and suffer as I take over your body and kill PHAETE!"_

_Dodging the leaping thrust from the obviously skilled and incredibly agile Sith Lord, Dante could only pray for a lightsaber, hoping that one materialized in his hand. Either he fights back or finds someone else in possession of his body. _How can death become so complicated?

_Leaping from side to side, watching the grove fall into decay and complete utter death, Dante could only evade each thrust and slice the Sith Lord brought to him. _

"_This is no way to redeem your soul!" He screamed at the Dark Lord. _

"_Perhaps I never needed to." The Sith brought his blade high into the air and brought it down, eager to cleave the Jedi in half—_

_--only to be blocked by a sapphire blade. _

"_No! That's impossible!"_

_Grinning now, Dante merely asked, "what's the matter, my Lord? Angered that this unwilling host can fight back?" Shoving the blade and Tulak back, the Jedi Knight rose, brandishing his blade towards his very much wary foe. "I'm glad to disappoint you, Tulak." _

"_You just don't seem to understand me, you fool!" The Dark Jedi continued to hiss as he brought his blade around to decapitate his would-be apprentice. "I could have given you all you ever wanted. All you had to do was kill the Iktotchi!" _

"_What's so special about him?" The young Jedi retorted, parrying the slash and using his fist to slam the Sith Lord away from him. He knew that Hord was using his signature fighting style. Somehow there had to be a weakness, after all—Hord had to have been defeated, somehow. _

"_He will bring ruin to the Sith! He will only seek to doom the Galaxy in a way not thought possible. He does not work for Malak! His Masters are much more maniacal and deadlier than you can imagine, Whelp!" The Sith spun around, keeping his blade in motion, almost as if it had a mind of its own. The lightsaber seemed to arc around him, forming a barrier close to energy. "They are of a nature that not even Revan nor Malak could have comprehended!" _

_Dante knew that keeping Tulak talking could buy only so much time—a precious commodity he was running short of swiftly. Somehow there had to be a weakness in the Sith Lord's fighting style. "So why do you need me?"_

_Shoving the Jedi back, forcing him to continuously defend himself from any strike, Tulak smirked. "You haven't figured that out yet? The Dark Side has touched you in a way I have not yet begun to fathom. You were injured just enough so that I can contact you. I need one of two things—an apprentice or a host body. You, my friend, provide both, yet it seems I will be choosing the latter over the former!" Bringing his blade to lock with Dante, he pivoted on his right leg, bringing his knee out and driving it into the stomach of his adversary. _

_Doubling over, Dante collapsed, hunting for breath while his lightsaber continued to somehow remain in his hand. _

"_And so, young Dante, you shall find eternal peace with the rest of your ilk." The figure was close to him and he could feel Tulak raising his lightsaber. Somehow, the Jedi could sense the Sith Lord. _

"_Dante…wake up…fight the Dark presence…you are stronger than this…wake up…I am here for you… I will never leave you…" The voice continued to ring faintly in his head._

"_Rin..." He whispered under his breath. She was sending her strength into him. Their connection had grown stronger with each passing moment. Her love was keeping him alive. Perhaps she had been keeping him alive for far longer than he had originally anticipated._

"_What was that, Dante?" Tulak obviously didn't hear the young Knight's words clearly. That gave him enough time to defeat the Sith._

"_Make it quick," he said calmly. Gripping his blade, the Jedi moved his feet to allow him to spin about and leap at the Sith. _

"_Very well. Now I shall look forward to your body." The smile could be sensed behind those words. "I will make sure to keep Rin entertained when I take over."_

_Dante only bit his lower lip. It was all he could do to fight down the rage and prevent himself from striking out too early. _

"_I can feel your anger. Too bad, it is a shame that you have to die now. Goodbye; I would say that it was a pleasure to know you, but I would be lying. I have what I need now." With that, Tulak raised his weapon high above his head, anticipating Dante's possible last stand. Unfortunately for him, he proved to be right—and too late._

_Leaping out, with the aid of the Force, Dante found himself near a hair's breath and spun his lightsaber across the torso of the Sith Lord, slicing the Jedi in half. Gazing at the surprised—and disappointed—Sith Lord, Dante found himself thrust far, far away, before he could even say anything to Tulak._

* * *

He opened his eyes to a sight that couldn't have been prettier. He found that breathing was painful, if only for a few moments as he gasped the precious life source into his healed lungs. He couldn't have been happier to be alive with her.

"Hello Sleepyhead."

"Hello Rin. You were there all the way."

"That's because someone I loved needed me."

Dante couldn't help but smile. Suddenly he remembered the one who nearly killed him. "Where is he?"

She pointed to Dante's right, where he leaned over to look and saw Dierak's body lying still.

"Well, it's probably good that he's gone now. Perhaps the Force will guide him to a place where he can find peace and contentment."

"And how about you? I can't seem to leave you alone for a second."

Smiling, he could only reply, "I'm not that helpless. I did manage to do well on my own for a while. But thanks for the help." He leaned in and kissed her softly, not breaking away for a few moments as he savoured each precious moment he touched her.

"I thought I'd lost you, Dante. I thought I would never see you again." She looked away for a moment, as if to gather her thoughts and to stay strong.

"I'd never leave you. Not for a moment, my Love." He brought her face close to his as he kissed her again. The warmth passed through both of them and they held each other close for a moment or two longer.

"Should we leave this place?" She asked, smiling softly.

"Yes, but when we leave here, we have to make sure that _no one_ will ever come here."

"All right."

As they left the chamber, both Jedi used the Force and crushed the entire chamber, bringing rocks down to collapse on the entrance. Both Jedi made their way to the _Thunderbolt_, eager to get past the day's events; both were eager to mend their wounds until they made their way to the final destination, which would be revealed very, very shortly.

* * *

Gors finished applying the Kolto patches on the Jedi's chest. "Have you figured out why he wanted you to kill Phaete?"

"No," Dante answered. "All I know is that, Dosheo carried Tulak's holocron. And if that _thing_ was the former Sith Lord, I don't know what fate has in store for him now." He threw on his black shirt, feeling the ache and sharp pains that reached out from his joints and his ribs. His encounter with Hessian had certainly taken a lot out of him. If it weren't for Rin, he wasn't sure he would have made it back.

As he left, he was joined by Rin, Lon and Simon in the main hold of the boxy and rustic freighter. Phaete was resting comfortably in the dormitory. It appeared the Master had no interest in the relics. Revealing in his left hand, he showed them the near cylindrical shape of the key.

"This is what I have found."

"So where do we go now?" Simon asked him, his expression eager.

In Dante's other hand, he revealed a small holopad. Plugging it into a slot, the holovid displayed Dosheo's last entry.

* * *

"_This is my final entry. During my travels, I encountered something that may yet reveal that which we are looking for. I found the third key on this strange planet. It reeks of the Dark Side, yet it seems to be balanced with the Light. It makes no sense. _

"_2 days ago, I found a crashed ship. It appeared to be from the Sith War over a thousand years ago. In it, I found several skeletons, Sith lightsabers and a holocron of a most peculiar origin. _

"_I've played it and I have concluded that it is Tulak Hord's lost holocron. It carries the fighting style of the Dark Jedi, yet, it carries something most peculiar. As of late, I have heard voices that beckon me to learn of it. It begs me to acquire the information locked within. I cannot begin to fathom the power this surely holds, yet I also cannot begin to fathom the danger it will surely unleash. _

"_This star system is odd. I find it more comfortable and I begin to ask myself why I should not open the holocron? I found it. Surely its teachings will aid me in my journey to uncover the Force. Perhaps it will eventually be responsible for saving the Galaxy from danger that may arise in the future._

"_I am tired of this. The third key holds some measure of power. Almost as if it were a lightsaber in its own right. But I cannot be certain what it is. I am tired and I shall be leaving this planet soon. I know now that the holocron has been attracting unwanted visitors. I shall—oh no. You shall die, Sith!"_

"_Dosheo! It's me! It's Orin!"_

* * *

The blue hued images began to fade out as Dosheo ignited his lightsaber and leapt out to assault his companion.

Everyone stood silent as a screen of projections light up, indicating Dagobah's presence and isolated a cluster of stars in a remote and untouched area. Far away from known space. Within that image, a set of numbers appeared for a few moments before the image faded.

"So that's it then," Lon commented. "The Unifying Force is just a handful of light years away. We can go home soon."

"I don't think it is that easy, Lon," Rin replied.

"Nothing is ever that easy. We're Jedi. Nothing ever would be easy for us."

"You really think so, Dante?" The blind swordsman looked at his compatriot curiously. He knew of the encounter he had and understood that Dante needed more time to rest. His body would heal faster than any normal human, but he still needed time to recuperate.

"I know so, my friend." Sighing, he faced his friends. "We'll be heading to the star system in the next hour. I need to rest until then. I'll see you all soon."

With that, he left. Drained, Dante found too many questions and not enough answers plagued him. Something didn't seem right. If Phaete was not working for the Jedi or the Sith Empire, then whom was he working for?

At this point, he needed rest and then he could determine what had to be done. The deaths of too many had been on his mind lately. This was a nightmare from which he found he couldn't wake up from. Sleep seemed to be an escape; temporary death.


	19. Dark Horizons

_Dark Horizons_

She was a tempest that most men would avoid. But those who were unfortunate to stand in the way of her fury seemed to be cast aside, consumed without a mere thought. She tore through the shimmering, sterile corridors like a bat out of hell. Lotus Xa was going to kill Vincent Baroque.

As some of the more wary Sith moved out of the way, she found that her quarry had waited for her at the end of the corridor, her seething rage unbeknownst to him.

"You," she hissed as she walked towards him, his expression remaining unfazed by her powerful presence.

"Yes, Lotus?" He looked at her, smiling politely, seemingly unaware of the impending death that awaited him.

"You ordered them to leave. There was no squad; there was only a group of _failures_ who accompanied him."

"Ah, I see it is about our Mandalorian friend. I am sorry about the loss, Lotus. But I have no idea what you are talking about; perhaps you should ask Seth?" His expression continued to remain undaunted by the prospect of being killed by her. He wore an ebony suit that seemed to mimic Darth Bandon's own. The torso highlighted the signs of fibermesh armour as it traced his body.

"_He_ had nothing to do with it!" She reached out with both arms, grabbing him by the chest and slamming the Acolyte against the wall, shoving the air out of his body. "You ordered the ship to leave moments after they left! You were told to send in a squadron of the best _we_ had to offer!"

His expression became smug and irate at the same time; his eyes became piercing and very, very teasing. "Now, now," he tsked, "I think that being the Executive Officer on board has granted me some right to determine who gets to prove their worth to Lord Seth. After all," he smirked, "you were the one who put his life in danger."

Her eyes became slits. "What do you mean, Baroque?" She spat at the Acolyte.

"Well, you and your boyfriend threatened me. You should learn never to cross paths with me. Now you have learned your lesson—and I don't care if you are better at killing or if you are an apprentice. We're _Sith_ and we do whatever it takes to stay on top. I've spared your life so far; don't make the assumption that I am doing it out of sympathy. As long as I can cause you pain, I will continue to let you live. Make no mistake, Lotus that I can— and one day I will— get rid of you without a moment's hesitation."

She continued to glare at him as he radiated a triumphant smile. He was right. She would have to fight back, and for the moment, he had her. He was an Executive Officer—they were both _equals_ if only for a while. The thought to sever his head and hang it up as a trophy enticed her, but she ignored it. The ability to cause pain was more severe and so much more enjoyable. She would find a way to make him suffer for the loss of her friend—_friend_?

It dawned on her that there were some officers who were looking at the altercation. She let go of him and walked away, mulling over the thought that had caused her to realize two important things: she would have to find a way to stay at the top of her game and she would seek vengeance for the death of her friend.

* * *

He rolled the holocron around his palm. His gaze continued to be fixated on the object as the low hum of the vessel and the indistinct chatter continued to carry out around the _Thunderbolt_. 

He hadn't spoken to anyone else for most of the day. His thoughts had been at the forefront of the day. He hadn't even spoken to her, knowing that she worried about him. He needed to be alone, if only for a little while. He continued to roll the holocron around his palm.

He wanted to open it, if only to see what the former Sith Lord had to say. He wanted to get rid of it, if only to prevent the dangers of reopening the power of a former Lord of the Sith.

He closed his eyes as he continued to reflect on the words of Tulak Hord. _You must kill Phaete. He is one of the very things that profane this Galaxy. He should not be allowed to live. It is a travesty that he has continued to live, thus far._ That was what the former Sith had said. It appeared that perhaps there was some merit to what he had said.

"He profanes this Galaxy," the young Jedi whispered, reciting the words of the former Sith. _Do I kill him? Or do I let him live?_ _What does he represent, if he is not a Sith nor Jedi?_ Wrapping his mind around the thought, he quickly dismissed it as he felt the subtle tremors in the Force—the tremors of only an Iktotchi Jedi.

"Will you play it?" Came Phaete's voice.

"Why? Are you curious?"

"Perhaps, but is it not logical that we understand the methods to our enemy's madness?"

"Is it not logical that the Council deserves to learn of this threat, first?"

"Intriguing. Would you treat this unknown variable as a threat, Dante?" The Iktotchi Jedi leered at the young Knight, his eyes moving avariciously towards the holocron that was held in the hands of the human.

"Would you treat this 'unknown variable' as a gift, Phaete?" The Jedi met the Master's stare. "No, I won't open it. And neither will you."

The finality of the Knight's tone struck a chord within the supposed Master. "You would dare to order me?"

"You have no power over me, Phaete. Don't try to trick me into thinking that you care about the outcome of this war."

"Ah, but that is where you are mistaken, Dante. I do care about the outcome of this war." He shifted slightly under his mahogany cloak. To the untrained eye, this would have gone unnoticed. To Dante, it meant that the Jedi Master craved the holocron's infinite wisdom.

"Perhaps you do, _Master_," the young Jedi said, the last word rich in sarcasm, "but to learn of the teachings of a former Dark Lord of the Sith is hardly the means with which to end it." He smiled comfortably, feeling secure that three distinct tremors in the Force were coming towards them.

He knew that somewhere within him, a darkened soul had awoken. The urge to use the dark teachings to end the war—to rise above all others and reign down peace through his iron fist—seemed somehow much harder to resist than before. He so dearly desired the power that Tulak had promised within the holocron. Someway, somehow, the Sith Lord must have needed a legacy. His wandering soul seemed to reach out and tempt Dante. The power to wield his lightsaber in combat and become a virtual juggernaut had continued to reign within his mind. _He_ could win the war single-handedly, crushing Malak and taking over where the fools had left off.

_But then how did Tulak Hord end up in a tomb?_ His own voice echoed within his mind. Like all beings, he was mortal. _No Sith Lord would have given up that much power—he was _defeated

No, he wouldn't open the holocron, no matter how tempted he was.

"Dante," Rin said softly, "he won't relent when it comes to that holocron."

"I know," he answered, taking her hand in his, kissing it ever so softly. He just wanted this war to be over; he wanted to spend his life with her. If the Unifying Force is truly awaiting in the unknown sector, then the war could be over a lot sooner. He brought his face up, looking into her soft eyes. "We will finish this soon. I promise that when this is over, we will go far, far away."

She smiled. "While that is nice, I still think we need to see this through to the end before we make that commitment."

"I know."

"So what do we do about him?" She jerked her thumb back at Phaete, who seemed reluctant to leave, knowing the holocron was in the possession of those who could best protect its dark secrets.

"We will let him be. As much as he deserves to be imprisoned, he is also a skilled fighter—someone we need."

"For the moment," she said, hoping that was what he meant.

"For the moment," he agreed. Sighing, he took her other hand and rose, leaving the holocron on the cot. "For now," he said as a lopsided smirk crossed his face, "we should make use of our time."

Giggling, she kissed him as they sealed the door to the dormitory.

* * *

He continued to peer out at the blue vortex. A sadistic smile had continued to play across his face as he entertained the ideas of the power he would soon wield. He knew that so much he desired rested on his brother's shoulders as much as it rested on himself. After all, they would soon be reunited, brothers who would rule the Galaxy, side by side. 

Lotus and Vincent were nothing to him. They were merely the means with which he could do his bidding. They provided entertainment to him as well. He enjoyed the ideas of two vicious creatures pitted against one another, eager to serve their Master as well as themselves. He had no desire to let any of them succeed him.

Dante would join him, or Seth would see him destroyed.

"My Lord," the good and loyal captain said gently, behind the Sith.

"Yes, my friend?" Seth turned around, resting his right hand on the shoulder of one of his most trustworthy commanders. When he took power, he would make certain that Stormov would be the General of the might of the Sith Armada.

"We are approaching the secluded sector. Should I inform the squadrons to disembark and have your shuttle ready for you?"

"In time, in time." He breathed a sigh of relief. At least his trump card paid off. Now he would see to it that nothing else will stop his gain. And as for using Alec's spectre, well, it mattered not. Dante would come to him, one way or another. "When that freighter drops out of hyperspace, I want you to intercept it and have it boarded. I want the crew brought to me alive. In the meanwhile, I want you to hide us in the asteroid field, so we lie in wait. Is that clear?"

"Yes, my Lord."

"Good." He let go of his grip and he left the bridge, eager to meditate in his chambers until he was ready to take his shuttle. He would take Lotus and the remaining Dark Jedi to the artifact. He would leave Vincent on board—lulling the Acolyte into believing that he had any sense of control over Lotus and Seth's fate as they were interacting with the artifact. It was there he would kill Lotus and crush anyone and anything that interfered with his plans to take his younger brother into the fold.

He smiled masochistically. This would be over before it even began, but he would certainly enjoy it.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** This is the first time I've ever written something this long and I am seeing this out to the end. For that matter, this is the first time I've ever done author's notes. I just want to thank everyone who has taken the time to read this fanfic, even if there was little mention of the characters we know and love from KOTOR. Seeing how this is my first major fanfic, I really appreciate the attention some of you have made and the helpful points that have been pointed out to me. I hope that in the future, you will read more of what I have to write, as I will undoubtedly do the same, regardless of what you choose to do. I want to thank you all again for the support and taking the time out of your busy lives to read this fanfic. There will be a handful of chapters left, since the story is coming to a close, however I will continue this as a trilogy, of a sort.I intend towork on other fanfics in the foreseeable future.Thanks again, 

Sincerely,

Dante-Raven


	20. Once More unto the Breach, Dear Friends

_Once More unto the Breach, Dear Friends_

"We're coming up on the Field, Dante," Sekula called out over the com. He flipped a few switches and pulled a lever to watch the stars streak and revert into their normal state. Internally, the Captain sighed, knowing that all they had to do was get this one thing right and then him and Sirry could leave all of this behind. Perhaps Dantooine might be a nice place to settle down. Maybe they might be able to rebuild the Enclave and watch the new Jedi come into being—allowing peace and prosperity to reign once more. He smiled as the thought warmed him. _Ugh, I'm getting too old for this. And since when did I want to settle down? I think I'm going to need some Tarisian Ale when we're all finished._

The _Thunderbolt_ flew through the asteroid littered area, dodging and looping around from the ones that got too close. As the vessel continued to evade the asteroids, Sekula couldn't help but look out at the sight, watching the debris of ancient vessels around the system. It seemed this was as far as some of their own predecessors had made it.

The boxy freighter made its way through the asteroid, unaware of a large arrow-head shaped object trailing them. The vessel cleared through the asteroids, passing through the ring of the planet and eager to land in the dense, green shaded planet that was lit up with lightning all throughout its interior.

"Looks like this is one planet we're not going to like," Sekula muttered as he gazed out at the massive object that hung before them.

"Don't worry, Sekula, the faster we are in, the faster we are out." Dante flipped several switches, eager to assist with the landing. _Quickly in and quickly out,_ he thought. _That's probably the best advice I could give to myself._

Almost immediately, the ship shuddered, catching both men unaware and shocked. Suddenly several lights and alarms went off, beeping out warnings that implied the vessel's hull had been fractured in several places and they were being towed by _something_.

"What the blast? What's happening, Sekula?"

"Sithspawn! We're caught in a tractor beam and we've been hit!"

Suddenly it dawned on Dante: Seth would never give up. He'd been playing them all this time, waiting for them to deliver the artifact to him. "No…"

"This isn't over, Dante." Sekula pulled out his blasters and made sure they were fully charged. He looked over at the Jedi and nodded.

"Get on the com and inform everyone to meet at the main hold."

"Aye-aye."

The Jedi pulled himself out of his chair and ran into the main hold as Sekula spoke into the com and did likewise.

As Dante entered the hold, everyone had gathered and they all had dark expressions on their faces. He knew they had already figured it out.

"All right," he started, looking at each and every one of them—including the mysterious Phaete. "Seth's vessel has caught us. This time they've ensnared us in a web we can't seem to get out. We can't push the _Thunderbolt_ to break it—the engines will blow if we give it everything we've got. Any suggestions?"

"We could be boarded and fight our way out," Simon suggested.

"That won't work—there are too many of them," Lon said.

"Actually," Sirry spoke up, catching the attention of everyone—especially Sekula. "Simon might have a point. And so does Lon. We could use the escape pods to get on board the capital ship."

"As Lon said," Sekula said, staring hard at her, "there are too many of them. They'd overwhelm us before we even left the bay."

"No," she said. The ivory skinned enchantress looked at the man she loved. "We can do this, Sekula. It will probably take three of us to do this. Get on board, evade detection and we can detonate the Sith ship."

"As great as that idea may be, that would mean three of us would have to volunteer—I'm not about to order anyone to die," Dante said. He looked at Sekula, knowing his friend didn't want Sirry to get into this. He looked at Rin, knowing that she would be thrust into danger anyway. He and Sekula were on the same page—they didn't want their loved ones dying. Fighting the Sith on board their own ship was suicidal. "Besides," he continued, "that would still mean that the rest of us would be stuck on the freighter."

Phaete stepped up. "I believe that this vessel carries on it, a number of proton torpedoes?"

"That's correct," Sekula said, his voice becoming hard and straining not to show any emotion.

"Perhaps you could direct them to fire at the tractor beam emitters?"

"That would probably be able to give us enough time to get on planet." The Captain began to see the Jedi Master's point.

"And what about when you're trying to get off planet?" Sirry had spoken up.

"We're going to need to disable that vessel somehow. It's on us like a mynock eating the power cables on a ship," Rin added.

"And the _Thunderbolt's_ hull has been compromised. We will have to do something about the Sith, regardless of our situation," Sirry finished.

Dante looked at Sekula. They both didn't like where this was going.

"All right," Dante conceded. "But we need volunteers and we need to do this fast if we're going to escape."

"I'll go," Lon volunteered. "My skills will more than likely be needed."

Dante solemnly nodded. He didn't want to admit it, but he didn't want his friends to go. Right now there was just no other available option. Either way, they would have to put the _Inferno_ out of commission.

"I'll go too," Simon volunteered. "Master Vorik, you will need my skills."

"I can't allow that Simon, you're my apprentice and I cannot allow you to sacrifice yourself."

"A Jedi's life is sacrifice for the greater good. There is always the chance I will die, no matter the situation, Master. You will need me if we are to help our friends."

The blind swordsman rested his hands on the shoulders of his apprentice. "I am proud of you, Simon. I will be honoured for you to join me."

"And that would leave one more," Phaete added.

"That will be me," Sirry said.

"What?" Sekula said incredulously.

"They need a commando for this job. A Demolitions Specialist." She stared hard and pleadingly into the eyes of Sekula. "They will need me."

"I can do it," Gors said. The sandy-coloured hair on the man continued to cover his eyes. He seemed determined to do this, if only to make sure that the mission succeeded.

Sirry looked at the medic and flatly stated, "no, you can't Gors. You are a medic. This mission calls for Demolitions and right now, I am the only one qualified for this. Besides," she continued, smiling, "I've got a surprise for them." She winked at Sekula.

"All right," Rin said. "It's agreed then; Sirry, Lon and Simon will take an escape pod and launch into the Sith warship. We'll fire off a few torpedoes after you've been taken in and then we'll make a run for the planet."

Before Dante or Sekula could say anything, everyone else agreed.

As everyone began to leave, Sekula pulled Sirry aside. "Are you going crazy? You're pregnant and I can't afford to lose you, Sirry!"

"You know I am right, Sekula. I am the only one who can pull it off—besides, I'm with two Jedi."

"Damnit, Sirry, you know I can't let you do this. I love you and I can't lose you. I will go instead—"

"No," she said, cutting him off. "You're not going to do this, I have to. I'm experienced and trained for this sort of thing."

"And I'm not? I'm your superior, remember? And on top of that, I'm the father of your child."

"Look, you can penalize me later, Sekula, but they need you on this ship, just as Lon and Simon need me on board the _Inferno_. We have people counting on us."

He sighed. She had him there; they were needed for separate things. "All right, but promise me this: you'll come back alive."

"I will," she said, looking into his eyes. "But only if you do the same."

"Hey," he grinned, "it's me."

"That's what I am afraid of," she replied sarcastically.

"Har har." He kissed her softly, holding her in his arms one last time before they parted ways, if only for a while. "I'm coming back for you, Sirry. Make no mistake about that."

"And I am coming back too."

Before she could leave, he held her hand and he removed from under his armour a necklace with a small circular pendant, with the shape of a jade cross in the center and a horizontal "S" shape within the center. It was adorned with intricate runes. "Take this," he insisted, "it's brought me luck. Maybe it will bring you luck as well."

She took it and threw it around her neck, smiling at him. "I'll be sure to give this back to you. I love you, Sekula."

"I love you too, Sirry."

* * *

As the escape pod left the freighter, the round object was pulled instantly into the hangar bay. Nothing fired on it—lives were detected and Seth had said he wanted the passengers taken alive.

Suddenly, the _Thunderbolt_ fired several proton torpedoes, striking across the emitters on the vessel, tearing and igniting a fuel pod as it detonated in a fury of fire. Simultaneously, the freighter fired its engines to full speed, as the capital ship opened fire on the freighter, unleashing its fury and wrath upon the fleeing vessel.

The boxy, rustic coloured freighter continued to absorb the energy that lanced and poured into it. The shields gave way as energy crashed and tore apart plating after plating of the ship's armour.

"We're hit!" Sekula yelled as the _Thunderbolt_'s klaxons and proximity warnings continued to blare. "Hold on!" He screamed as the computer beeped that the freighter had just lost its port engine and had begun its tailspin into the planet's surface.

Somewhere, behind the battered freighter, Sekula thought he felt the shockwave of the engine exploding as energy rocked the spinning freighter. He knew that the freighter would never fly again.

This was confirmed to him moments before darkness overwhelmed him, as the freighter crashed into the planet's surface and skidded across the rocky and stormy surface, several hundred feet above the caverns that led to the key to saving the Galaxy.


	21. Our Revels are now Ended

_Our Revels are now Ended_

"Dante," he whispered softly as he continued to peer out through the view. He gazed out at the boxy freighter that was spinning into the planet. "I can only imagine who gave the order to fire upon it." His eyes became slits, further exaggerating his marred face. "Vincent."

_I will deal with him later. My brother is resourceful, he will survive that. And if not…_ he sighed in resignation, _then perhaps he was not worth the effort._

"My Lord," a voice came over on the speaker over his head. "We're ready to approach the planet."

"Good. Let us make haste, I want that device in my hand by the day's end. Inform our people to get ready to disembark." He smiled to himself, craving what was to come.

_

* * *

Now, I shall have it all. The aristocrat still wore his black suit, in homage to the apprentice to the Dark Lord of the Sith. He continued to peer out from where Seth had previously stood in the bridge. He watched as the Sith Lord's shuttle flew into the planet, as the freighter had spiraled into the planet._

A smile formed on his face. _When he returns, I shall defeat him with the gentlest of strokes._ He looked at the Captain, who had begun to leave to personally oversee the prisoners they had picked up. The Captain would be caught unawares, especially when he realized that the bridge was locked. This would be a day Vincent Baroque would long remember.

_

* * *

Oh, it feels like a Bantha stampede trampled on me, he thought to himself as he slowly rose, opening his eyes and rubbing his head. __Note to self: _do not_ serve juma juice to Sekula next time._he thought to himself as he slowly rose, opening his eyes and rubbing his head. do not 

The young Jedi looked around as he saw the entire main hold mangled. The table and holoimager had torn apart and flew into the cargo bay. The workbenches and lab stations had spilled objects over and it had seemed the interior of the ship had gone through a war zone. Looking up, he saw where a large portion of the hull had protected them from being sucked into space used to be. _This baby is never going to fly again_, he thought sadly.

He looked around and saw the body of Gors, the young medic. "Gors!" Walking over, on shaky legs and careful not to lose his grip, he made his way to the young man, who appeared to be just dazed. "Are you all right?"

"What? What happened?"

"I think Sekula gave us a crash course on drinking and piloting."

The young man only looked even more puzzled. He had been miraculously all right.

"Come on, let's get you up," Dante said as he helped his companion rise. "We need to split up and look for the others."

"Including Phaete?"

This caused the Jedi to pause. _No one gets left behind_, he thought. As much as he was tempted to, Phaete was a Jedi and he was a life. It would have been unjust to leave the Iktotchi Master to his death, though the Force knew that he deserved it. After a moment, he looked at the sandy haired man. "Including Phaete."

After a few more moments of searching and finding a suitable exit—which was created by Dante carving a large hole from the hull of the destroyed vessel with his lightsaber—they gathered and made sure no one was hurt. Miraculously, everyone survived with a few bumps and scratches—including Master Phaete.

"I guess this is goodbye to her," Sekula said softly.

"She was a good ship, reliable and sturdy. She got us here to the last. We'll find a way home," Dante answered, as he watched the freighter lying on its side, a mangled wreck with its hull torn in several places, marked with carbon scoring.

"Sirry will get us home," Rin said, noticing that both men looked sad at the loss of the _Thunderbolt_.

"Well, at least the _Thunderbolt_ gave us a fighting chance. Now we find the holocron and wait for the Sith to reveal themselves." Dante looked at his companions. "They have a means to get us back to the rest of the Galaxy."

"You're right," the commando leader replied, cocking his repeater. "We'll be sure to pay them a visit and give them our gratitude."

"As motivating as this speech must be, I think it would be most prudent—and to our benefit—if we retrieve the device and be rid of this planet," the dour Phaete said.

"You're right. Let's go."

With that, the 5 companions began to look for an entrance to the caverns.

* * *

The shuttle landed near the entrance of the caverns, ignoring the wreck of the freighter several hundred feet away. As he left, cape billowing as the wind blew gently, lightning lighting up the dark miasmatic sky, the scarred man could only look around, a smug, triumphant smile on his face.

"My lord," Lotus said gently, taking care not to anger the Sith Lord in his seeming moment of triumph. "It would appear that any survivors from the vessel have meandered their way into the caverns."

"We'll take care of them when we run into them," he said, not even looking at his supposed Apprentice. "For now, let us make haste. I want it in my _hand_."

"Very well, _Master_," she said through gritted teeth. He wasn't giving her the time of day and she knew that could mean several things: she failed him, he was going to have her killed or he was so deep in thought at the prospect of having the artifact that nothing else mattered to him. Regardless, her mortality was near—somehow the Force kept telling her that. Or was that her _fear_?

She felt a trembling and noticed her hand was shaking at the prospect of her death. Shaking it off, she looked away and nodded to the two elite Sith troopers who piloted the vessel and the 6 remaining Dark Jedi. They all went into the tunnels below the darkened and decayed planet, eager to follow their lord and master into limitless power. She still had a trump card to ensure her survival, but one never knew how long they lasted in times such as these.

_The Jedi shall find their days numbered_, she thought to herself as she walked through the darkened tunnels. It seemed almost as if it were perfectly constructed; almost as if it were a _tomb_. She fought down the urge to shudder at the thought as she continued to walk away. _Perhaps it was an academy, of a sort. Or perhaps,_ she mused darkly, _this tomb was made to keep something in._

* * *

They traversed cautiously, as the winding tunnels and forks in the paths continued to crop up. The one problem with the Force was that one could not determine the exact spot of their quarry, only the area.

"This tunnel seems to tread forever," Phaete mumbled more to himself than to anyone in particular. Unfortunately for him, the acoustics in the tunnels carried the message around to everyone else.

"What would you prefer?" Sekula asked. "Would you like it back in the _Thunderbolt_?"

"No thanks," the Master began to say--

"Then shut up," Sekula finished.

Dante bit back the urge to laugh; instead he feigned a cough—and a bad attempt at that.

"He is right," Gors said, as he flashed his glowrod across the tunnel. "This tunnel must extend forever."

"Be that as it may," the Knight replied, "we still have a job to do. And right now, this tunnel seems to be a direct route."

"Can you be so sure?"

"Phaete, I thought I told you to shut it."

"Please, Captain, I am just asking a simple question."

Dante silenced the two before the debate began to spark into a fight. "Yes, I am sure, Phaete. The Force is stronger in this path, which—may I remind you—is the only chance we have at finding this holocron. Now, do as the Captain said and shut it."

As quickly as they had spoken, a low growl resonated throughout the circular tunnels.

Withdrawing his blasters, Sekula looked around. "See anything, Dante?" He whispered quietly, careful not to let it echo too loudly.

"Nothing," the Knight whispered back. He closed his eyes and reached out into the Force only to feel… _something_. He continued to pry through the Force, while Rin and the others slowly formed fighting stances, back to back. He continued to peer through… there had to be something, anything. And there it was: a quiet, subtle disturbance within the Force that told him more than he wanted to. Eyes opening widely, he yelled, "get down!" As he rolled towards the floor to watch a large bipedal creature, which appeared to be a distant—if not somewhat shorter—relative to the rancor, crashed into where the Jedi had been moments before, screaming wildly.

Heeding the call of their companion, the others had leapt back and away from the large rancorous creature.

It continued to peer out at them, growling as its voice resonated against the very walls and the companions themselves.

"What is that!" Sekula screamed as he unloaded the contents of his pistols at the creature, only aggravating it further.

"Whatever it is, let's shoot first and ask later!" Gors screamed as he poured continuous fire from his repeating blaster.

The creature slowly, but surely began to be pushed back as energy lanced all about it, crashing against its hide, as it absorbed some energy. It was obvious, by the sheer rage of this creature that it was surely a product of the Dark Side, but it definitely was no Terentatek.

Calling on the Force to increase their movements, Dante and Rin both felt each other through the Force and began to assault the creature with their speed and the rapid blur of sapphire and violet upon the creature's hide.

Phaete, as usual, stood waiting, as he eyed his companions' efforts to eliminate the creature.

In a bold feat, both Knights leapt as high as the cavern's height would allow them, and in a synchronous slash, decapitated the beast before it could let out another blood curdling howl. The creature crashed to the floor as its head rolled off to the side, the fresh scent of cooked meat from the cauterization wafted into the noses of the companions.

"If it weren't so repulsive, I'd call it dinner," the Captain said, slamming a pair of new power cells into his pistols before he holstered them.

"Well, let's hope it doesn't come to that," Phaete replied as he continued to tread further down the caverns, leaving Dante and the others to ponder the intentions of the Master.

* * *

They had walked through a winding tunnel that branched off into three, but yet, he could sense the presence of others. _Dante_, he thought to himself. _So, you live after all. Good, so that feeling of loss wasn't you…yet, who could it have been?_ He shrugged it off, knowing that his time was at hand. He knew Vincent would get what was coming to him momentarily, so would Lotus, as well as the others.

"My lord," one of the elite soldiers said, awakening the attention of the Sith.

"Yes?" Seth asked, momentarily dazed.

"Which direction would you lead us?" The Sith chose his words carefully, suddenly realizing that he might have disturbed the Sith Lord at an inopportune moment.

"Continue to follow me, Lieutenant," he answered, his back still to the Sith. "Oh, and do keep up." The unspoken threat behind those words didn't need to invigorate the crew further.

_Dante, I can feel you. I will come to you, my brother._ He continued to lead them through the winding tunnels, coming ever so closer to a stronger and stronger Force presence. _Ah, what's this?_ He thought to himself. _There are Jedi who travel with you, Dante. So the game's afoot, huh? So be it._

As the crew rounded the bend, they walked into one of the secondary prizes that their Master had so desperately sought: Dante Ravenmoon and a crew of Knights and commandoes.

Standing tall and undaunted, Seth watched as his own elite ignited their lightsabers and cocked their blasters and took aim.

Standing cautiously and feeling rage swell within him, Dante watched as his companions did likewise to Seth—excluding Master Phaete.

"Well, well," Seth started, his sickly yellow and brown eyes staring at the intense brown eyes of his brother. "What do we have here? 2 Knights, a Master and 2 mere Republic commandoes."

"I don't see you faring any better, Xavier—or should I call you _Seth_?" The young Knight spat back.

This caused Phaete's expression to move to extreme curiosity. _It would appear that these two have met, much less know one another._ His eyes shifted to the deadly, attractive Apprentice dressed in a formfitting black outfit that highlighted her features and her piercing green and blue eyes. He knew that his time had come near, but it would have to wait for a few more precious moments as these two brothers—which became apparent now—bickered over trivial matters.

"Perhaps, but now that I have you and will have the key to unlimited power, I shall be unstoppable."

"You're one to talk," Dante replied evenly. "You're too eager, as always. You show your hand before you even win—and that is why you lose."

Before the Sith could even reply, the sound of marching footsteps further down the tunnels alerted both groups to another presence.

"Truce?" Dante called out quickly.

"Truce," Seth agreed, as the soldiers drew beads and Jedi, Dark and Light alike, ignited their blades and prepared themselves for the continuous, undeterred marching that was coming closer. The undeterred marching of footsteps from the countless battalions of droids not seen since the Sith War.


	22. A Show of Force

_A Show of Force_

They had clambered aboard, timing their moment of escape and surprise after they had felt the escape pod shudder. Their time was coming close, as they knew the pod was being taken into the hold of the vessel. In it carried several deadly weapons. In it, carried Lon Vorik, Simon Cannon, Sirry and enough explosives and thermal detonators to turn the Sith warship into an explosive chrysalis.

"Wait," he said silently, more for the benefit of Sirry than for he and Simon. Their connection through the Force had granted both Jedi to read each other's feelings and, to a lesser degree, thoughts. "Simon and I will go first; you leave after we've cleared the area."

"I'm going out there with you," Sirry began to protest.

"I know you will, but we need you in here first, so you do not get struck by a stray blaster bolt," he explained. "Or worse," he added.

"Fine, Lon," she said somewhat stiffly.

"Simon and I will go to the bridge and program the self-destruct. I trust that you will infiltrate the ship and plant the explosives."

She nodded, smiling broadly.

"Good. As soon as you are finished, find a suitable ship to leave, and then do so."

This startled her. "What about you two?"

"We'll find a way off, but you must get off immediately after you plant the explosives."

She nodded reluctantly, "all right but—" She was cut off immediately as a loud clang sounded along the pod, as well as the whine of servos and mechanical parts indicated that they were most likely inside the vessel's hull.

"Captain," someone said outside of the pod. "There are several life forms within the pod."

"Very well," another voice—presumably the Captain—answered. "I will be on my way shortly."

After a few more slow, agonizing moments, they heard a door hiss open and heard the voice of the Captain.

"All right, Sergeant, open those doors."

Their time had come.

"Get ready," Lon whispered softly as they heard a whining sound lock onto the pod's hatch.

As soon as the door opened, the hapless technician who was slicing the pod's security system was shoved back, into a group of Sith as the familiar _snap-hiss_ of Lon and Simon's lightsabers flared to life.

"It's the Jedi!" The Captain called out as he pulled out a hold-out blaster, firing on the Jedi as they cut a swath through the mob, severing limbs, heads and blasters alike.

Deflecting three blaster bolts, Simon found his mark as his lightsaber cleanly sliced through the head of one Sith soldier and split open the belly of another. Nothing stood in the way of both Jedi as their bond and control of the Force took over.

In a blurred move, Lon brought his silver saber to lock onto the sword of one soldier as his fist smashed into the transparisteel glass of the soldier's helmet, rendering him unconscious. He quickly leapt towards the Captain, shearing the heads of two bodyguards away.

Stormov, realizing that he was in a tight spot, quickly moved towards the door, while firing and encouraging his soldiers to keep shooting at the Jedi. His gaze became fixed on the blind-folded Jedi in front of him. Smiling sadistically, he leveled his blaster in front of him, aiming at the head of the Lon.

Suddenly, he felt a sharp stab of pain as a blur of light flew upwards, where his forearm used to be. Falling to his knees, cradling his right arm, Stormov saw the silver blade come flying down to his neck and he suddenly knew darkness.

"Come on," Lon called out to Sirry as soon as the dust had settled. It was painfully obvious that the ship might have become alerted to their presence, but it was definitely on battle alert for some strange reason.

* * *

"Sir!" One of the bridge officers called out to Vincent.

"What is it?" He stormed over, annoyed that an officer had ruined his dreams of grandeur—if only for a moment. He found himself entertaining the idea of punishing the fool if there weren't something important.

"3 Republic vessels have decanted from hyperspace and are on an intercept vector towards us!"

_And just when things were going so well_, he thought to himself. "Scramble all fighters! Put the ship on battle alert and call back Stormov!"

"Aye sir," the young officer answered, opening the communications throughout the ship, indicating battle alert status as klaxons roared to life.

_How could this have happened?_ He continued to stare out at the viewport, when the same officer spoke up again.

"Sir, I haven't been able to get a hold of Captain Stormov! There were sounds of a struggle and blaster fire as well as lightsabers! I've assigned a squad to get to the bay, sir."

"Blast!" Things were not going as well as Vincent had hoped. The Jedi had found a way on board and Seth had taken the last of the Dark Jedi on board. It appeared it was up to him to stop the intruders. And it was even more likely that the Captain was dead. "I'll deal with the Jedi; just make sure you put us to engage those cruisers!"

"Yes sir!" Immediately the entire bridge went to work as klaxons continued to blare and the vessel lurched to and fro from the salvo of energy released from the Republic Cruiser and two Corvettes.

* * *

As quickly as they continued moving, Simon and Lon found themselves pinned between two squads of Sith troopers, who continued to fire relentlessly.

Using their battle meld, both Jedi allowed the Force to guide their hands as they sent back blaster bolts towards their would-be captors.

Calling upon the Force to allow his body to move faster, the blind swordsman leapt towards one group of Sith, while his apprentice did likewise to the other group, and began to sever limbs, torsos and weapons that prevented them from continuing their mission. War was war, but both Jedi fought with a passion that seemed akin to the Sith, yet somehow it contained a beauty only truly embraced by the Jedi.

As they continued to move closer towards the bridge, Sirry had continued to move undetected towards engineering and other vital areas of the vessel where she could plant the explosives. She could only be seen by the shimmers of light around her, as she had equipped a stealth belt and moved silently and rapidly throughout the hold, while her friends risked their lives.

Racing for their very lives now, Lon and Simon ran into the occasional war droids, which didn't put up much of a fight. It slowly became more apparent that the Sith had something else on their mind.

"Did they capture Sirry, Master?"

"No, I do not believe so. In fact, I sense the presence of…companions. The Republic has taken heed of Dante's message."

"They're fighting the Republic?"

"Yes, Simon. Now let us continue, time is short and we still have a—"

"Job to do?" A voice spoke, cutting off the Jedi Knight.

They turned around and saw a figure dressed in black fibermesh armour that seemed to outline traces of his form. The man had piercing blue eyes and dark brown hair that had been slicked back.

"Allow me to introduce myself," the young man said. "My name is Vincent Baroque, and you're about to die." With that, he ignited his double-bladed lightsaber, emitting crimson blades that rivaled the eyes of a laigrek.

* * *

As those droids continued to march on, both Jedi and Sith began to cut a swath through them, eager to prevent the unarmed, yet very deadly bipedal droids get their hands on them.

Like two fiery Titans, Dante and Seth fought side by side, tearing apart droids left, right and center as they continued to spin their blades. There was no shortage of severing a droid limb everywhere they moved.

In just a handful of moments, the two Sith soldiers threw ion grenades into the mass, not living long enough to see them detonate as they were overrun and encompassed by the droids.

Rin provided cover for both Sekula and Gors as they opened fire on the droids, eliminating their only escape route, while Phaete continued to tear through several droids near the commandoes as well.

His emerald blade continued to decapitate and cleave through droids all around him, as he called upon the Force to shove many more away from him.

Lotus and 3 of the remaining Dark Jedi continued to impale and slash through the unarmed, yet deadly droids, as they had watched their other 3 companions get dragged down and turned to nothing but blood and gore.

Calling upon the Force, Lotus unleashed a torrent of electric energy from her hands, igniting several droids around her. She quickly commanded her holstered blade to her free hand and ignited the crimson blade, impaling a hapless droid that was eager to get to her.

"Seems like this is fun," Dante said in between breaths as he slashed one droid through the shoulder downward.

"I don't know what your idea of fun is," Seth replied as he spun his blade forward and backward, cleanly slicing through two droids, "but this is just mere practice for me."

"It doesn't seem like that's the case for your Acolytes, Xavier," he called out as he drove his sapphire blade into the chest of one droid and spun about, cleaving three more in half.

"Maybe that's because they're not as strong as you!" Seth shouted as he unleashed a fury in the Force, destroying several droids in front of him and Dante.

But as quickly as they were destroyed, more filled the space.

"So much for target practice," Dante scoffed as his blade tore through three more droids with relative ease. "And so much for the Dark Side."

"You just don't know it as well as I do," Seth replied as his blade found the head of two droids and the hands of another.

"Oh really? How so?"

"The tempest rages within you, Dante. Unleash it. Unleash your anger, and give in to the pain and longing to protect your friends. The Dark Side opens you up to your own emotions; it opens you to the true nature of the Force." Seth spun about, his back to his brother as he arced his blade in a quick upward slash and downward slash.

"Don't tempt me," he replied as he sent several droids flying back with a wave of the Force. The urge to give in—if only for a moment—to the Dark Side seemed so overwhelming. He wanted so desperately to end this war, one way or the other. And by doing that in _any_ way possible, seemed all the more enticing.

"I feel it rising. Let it come to the surface, let it take control. Do it, Dante. Unleash all your furies, all the pain you want to inflict on those that committed injustices."

"No," Dante replied as his blade met three more droids. There seemed no limit to them. If he gave in, maybe he could end it right now. Save everyone. _Maybe Seth would come back to the Light. No, he would not. He's a creature borne of power._

"Do it, you know it is the only way to protect them. Protect your friends. Protect your loved ones. Protect _Rin_."

"I won't give in," he replied evenly. Even as he evaded the swipes from the droids, he felt his skin and shirt tear under the swipes from several other droids behind him. He was tiring and the Force only did so much to strengthen him, but his injuries were slowly piling up.

"Do it, Dante. You must let go of your Jedi training and become a weapon, like the lightsaber you wield! Cut a swath through them and protect us, by becoming that _weapon_!" He hissed at his brother, urging the Knight to give into his darker desires. It was becoming more apparent that Dante wanted nothing more than to give in; if only for a moment. A sweet precious moment that would allow him a taste of that euphoric sensation of power.

"No!" He screamed as energy lanced out from his hands and all around him, shattering the droids where they stood. It was in that instant he had given into his rage—his desire to protect Rin; to avenge the death of Alec; to listen to those sweet promises of unremitting power from Tulak Hord; to avenge his brother; to kill _Seth_ and _Malak_, and to become the most powerful Jedi in the Galaxy.

Hearing the screams of Dante and the darkness that exuded from him, Rin paused and looked up at him, only to feel a distinct metallic fist slam into her face, sending her back.

"Rin!" Sekula called out as he threw a plasma grenade into the fray, not watching as it sent molten pieces of droid everywhere. He pulled her back and noticed a bruise on her cheekbone. "Cover me, Gors," he ordered as he continued to pull her behind a rock where both commandoes were stuck behind.

Phaete, merely smiled as he continued to wield his blade with expert efficiency, without tiring at all, unlike two of the Dark Jedi acolytes who fell before his very eyes. No, he enjoyed watching Dante give into his rage; he enjoyed watching the star pupil of a Jedi in the Light fall into the embracing and iron grip of the Dark Side; into _his_ grip.

He felt her fall into unconsciousness as he brought his blade to tear through several more droids. They were beginning to dwindle in their numbers. He felt her leave him for a moment. He felt her _loss_. He would go to the ends of the Galaxy; he would give in to the Dark Side if it meant protecting her.

Unleashing the raw side of the Force, Dante did the one thing he realized so many were coaxing out of him since the beginning. The ability to unleash the pure power of the Dark Side. To unleash his ability and to become unstoppable. It seemed it wanted him so badly. The Darkness within him tempted him. It begged of him to unleash it; to understand the true nature he'd been denying for so very long.

"That's it, my brother," Seth coaxed. He smiled as he unleashed his own anger as well. His own rage for his own failures; for the life he would never get back; for all the times someone denied him his right to total power. "Unleash it and give_ in_!"

As if they had trained together since the beginning, Dante and Seth slashed through the numbers of the droids, giving into a rage that made them unstoppable juggernauts. They had given into the raging rivers of the Force.

Lotus could only pause to stare in horror at what she felt. _That was _Dante? _He's so much more powerful than I'd ever thought! He could destroy _anything_ without a second thought!_ She forced herself to bury down her fear of the Knight's growing power as she impaled two droids on either side of her. The acolyte behind her had been consumed by the ocean of droids.

By giving himself into the Force, Dante continued unfazed, tearing through more and more droids and not hesitating for one moment.

Phaete could only smile as he tore the droids apart. _Ah, Dante_, he thought as he drove his blade into the face of a droid before him. _Only now do you truly understand the power of the Dark Side._

After a few more moments, the 'limitless' army of droids had abated. There was nothing but limbs and parts that littered the entire cavern. And all through that, Dante had given himself into the Dark Side. He stood there, his lightsaber oblique, as he surveyed the carnage around him. The droids were all gone. _Was it worth the price?_

To his back, Seth was facing him. "Excellent, Dante. Now you've taken the first steps towards the truth. To the greater truth. I would have you, if you willed it."

Dante turned around and looked askance. His sight found Rin, rubbing her head, as Sekula and Gors attended to her. Shame and self-loathing began to infest himself. He had brought this down on them. He had brought pain and suffering and imminent death to his friends.

He looked away and found the sight of the Dark ones that stood before him, begging him to join. Lotus, and her wary gaze; Phaete, somehow he'd always known about the darkness that lurked within the Master; and of course, Seth—the one who had tempted the Knight in the first place.

Seth had always been the one who had pushed him this far. Seth had sewn those seeds in the beginning, before this mission ever took off. And now, it had come to this. A choice? Or was it his mind forcing him to make a choice? Or was it the will of the Force?

He knew that somehow it was becoming a reality that no one would live past this.

"Dante," Seth said once more, "are you ready to join us? Are you ready to embrace your destiny?"


	23. Revelations

_Revelations_

Their blades continued to cross, silver and emerald against crimson. Lon and Simon continued their battle meld, eager to eliminate their foe before he could pose any more of a threat. As it turned out, Vincent Baroque was a very skilled duelist. It would be very likely that Lon would have to sacrifice himself if they continued to draw out this contest.

Behind the Dark Jedi, Simon continued to block, strike, and deflect each strike that came his way. He knew that this fight was certainly going somewhere.

Vincent continued to lock his eyes onto the blind swordsman, knowing that this was his greater threat. The Padawan was strong in the Force, but nowhere near as strong nor skilled as the Miralukan.

He spun his blade around, forcing himself to turn around and face the Padawan, if only for a moment. As he planted his blade on the surface of the deck, he kicked out and knocked the Padawan in the face, and spun around, lifting his blade around him, deftly hitting the Knight's blade.

It was a blur and Simon found himself pushed away, leaving his Master and the skilled warrior to fight. Shaking his head after gaining his bearings, he looked back and found that both Jedi were much further. Spinning his blade in his hand, the Padawan raced to confront the Dark Jedi.

He parried each and every slash that came towards him, feinting and reaching out in a riposte. He continued to thrust his blade, eager to find some way to end this match. It would only be time until either wielder struck one another.

Using the Force, Vincent reached out for a piece of debris and threw it against a door panel, opening the door and bringing the Jedi towards the engineering room. _If you want to die, then so be it! Nothing will stop me!_ He continued to evade each thrust the Jedi Knight made his way, spinning his blade around horizontally, almost as if it were a shield.

There was no way to penetrate his defences. The Dark Jedi was just too skilled. But Lon knew he was better. He continued bringing his blade high and low, slashing left to right, diagonally and continuing to push his opponent on the defensive. _It's only a matter of time_, he thought as he continued to push back Baroque.

Simon leapt into the air, knowing that the engineering section had enough room to grant him some freedom. He flew behind the Dark Jedi, bringing his blade to slash across the back of the Dark Jedi.

Anticipating that move, Vincent spun around, forcing both Jedi back. As he did that, he moved towards Lon and brought one side of his blade up towards the face of the Jedi, knowing that he'd block it.

Lo and behold, the blind swordsman did, only to feel the air explode from his lungs as he was sent sailing away from his opponent. _Simon!_ He thought as he slid across the floor. Rising, he shook his head and looked out ahead to see a deep red figure fighting against an indigo figure. Not hesitating a moment, he commanded his blade back into his hand, activating the blade while he ran towards the Sith.

Blocking every attack and being pushed back, Simon found himself cornered. He reached out with the Force and allowed it to guide his hand, unerring for moments.

As Vincent used one blade to strike, he used the other to defend, probing for any weaknesses. He found several, but he knew they might have been feints. It seemed the Jedi Knight taught the Padawan well. Unfortunately, it wasn't well enough. Grinning, Vincent brought his offensive blade to crash and lock against the blade of the Padawan.

Using whatever strength he had, without drawing too heavily on the Force, Simon found he was starting to win. His lips were pulled back, almost as if it were a feral grin, eager to crush the life out of his opponent. It was his fault that he didn't see the second blade come twirling around to decapitate him.

* * *

"Dante, join us." He extended his hand out to his brother, eager to let his brother stand side by side. Lotus and the others would be dealt with. Dante felt the presence within Phaete. It was now obvious that Phaete had been the trump card all along.

He continued to look at both groups. He found himself torn between joining his brother, because he would understand what it was like to be a monster. He had hurt _Rin_, his beloved. But as he looked back at Sekula, he saw his friends and he saw the duty and life he knew was his. Most of all, he looked at Rin's pleading eyes. "Rin," his whispered softly. His heart rose as he felt her within the Force once more, touching him and reassuring him through the warmth that was the Force. He never wanted to lose her again, and by joining the Dark Side, he would have lost her forever.

"No," he said.

"What?"

"I said," looking up at Seth, "no. I will not join you. I am a Jedi Knight, a guardian of peace and justice."

Seth's face turned to one of disappointment and sheer rage. "You dare defy me? You would turn against your own flesh and blood? I see that the Jedi have corrupted you completely, dear brother. If you shall not join me, then you shall _die_!" He ignited his blade, only to be shoved through the Force and crash against the walls.

"I do not serve you, either, Seth," Phaete replied coldly. "In fact, I _never_ served you to begin with. You were a tool that did the task we set out for you. For that, we thank you," he bowed. "But now, you have expired past your usefulness." His emerald blade somehow seemed darker; somehow _malevolent_.

"Master," Lotus said, not addressing Seth, but _Phaete._ "We must retrieve the device." She looked at the Jedi and then back to Phaete. "And soon."

"Yes, my Apprentice," Phaete replied slowly, and much more darkly.

"Lotus!" Seth screamed. "I demand you kill him, now!"

She turned around and gave him a mirthless grin. "I don't take orders from you, _Seth_."

_No_, he thought. _How could this be? They were all traitors to begin with! And they will take away everything that belongs to me?_ Lost in his thoughts, Seth didn't see the pile of rocks come crashing down onto him.

"Xavier!" Dante called out. He ignited his lightsaber, a fiery sapphire. "You'll die now, Phaete."

The Iktotchi Jedi merely laughed. "Die? You wanted to _kill_ Seth, didn't you? You practically owe me."

"Who are you?" He demanded.

"You already know. I am merely a servant for a greater Master. You can call me _Darth_ Phaete. There have always been factions within the Sith. My allegiance is to one named Traya. And you will soon know what true pain and power is. You've had a taste of it. The Dark Side is just a part of the greater truth."

"This can't be," the young Jedi exclaimed.

"Oh, I can assure you that it is. The greater truth of it all is that we carry darkness within ourselves. Tap into it, feed it and allow yourself to take control of it, as much a weapon as the one you have in your hand. There are all kinds of evils, Dante. In time, perhaps you would have learned about them all, but I can see that you were never ready to join us in the first place. You're too weak and fearful. And you hide under the banner of the most corrupt and tainted of them all—the Jedi Order!" The Iktotchi couldn't help by laugh at the Jedi and how they had been deluded. After another moment, the follower of Traya looked at Dante. "And now the time for talk has ended. Goodbye," the Dark Jedi said as he brought his hand up to emit blue electricity. Before the crackling energy could crash against Dante, Gors had fired a blaster at the Iktotchi--

--only to have it deflected and sent back into his chest, shoving the commando into a pile of droid parts. Racing to Gors, Dante felt for the pulse of the man. There was nothing. The bolt took him clean in the heart. The melted armour around his chest now flowed with blood that poured slowly, somehow deliberately.

"You—," The Jedi started, his ire awoken.

"That's right," Phaete teased. "Feel the rage and allow yourself to realize the limitless potentials, _Jedi_. Hate me; feel the rage and know that you are forever bound to the _Dark Side_! You will never escape it, for as long as you live, then the Dark Side—the _truth_, and the way of the Force is ours to control. And you, Dante, will find yourself unable to resist the lure, like your predecessors, contemptible fool."

"Bound to the Dark Side?" He felt himself growing in confused rage. _Why do they want me to join the Dark Side? _

_They're lying_, a familiar voice said to him. _They're _Sith_; they want their numbers to grow! They are mired in lies and deceit. Don't give in, Dante! This is not your destiny._ It was the voice of Alec Ness. _Stand strong! Stand strong and fight for the _will _of the Force!_

Calling on the Force, he shoved Lotus and Phaete away, allowing them to crash further into the tunnels. He rose, with fierce determination in his eyes. He took a deep breath and walked slowly towards them; Sekula trailed cautiously behind him, both blasters raised.

Suddenly, there came a shower of rocks as both Dante and Sekula were shoved against the wall, hearing the rage of Seth. "I will not be _stopped_!" With that, he ignited his crimson blade and leapt out towards Phaete.

* * *

Lon could only gasp as he watched his only Padawan die in front of him. "Simon," he barely whispered. _No,_ he thought. _No!_ He found himself giving into rage. "No!" He raced out and leapt to attack the Sith before he could even react.

Forced back on the defensive, Vincent found himself hard-pressed to beat the blind swordsman. But as gifted as his opponent was, in anger, one made many flaws.

Reaching out with the Force, Lon didn't care about how much pain he inflicted upon himself, as long as he hurt and killed Vincent Baroque. Vincent took his apprentice from him. Light and Dark Side be damned. He wanted vengeance. He slammed his blade against one side of the lightsaber and onto the other side in a blur. His hand raced up and down, side to side and in a heartbeat, he and Vincent moved back from one another, pausing in a form that revealed artistic grace as well as raw hatred and anger.

Trying to push the Miralukan onto the defensive, Baroque brought his blade to slash the man in two, only to feel his face be smashed with a foot and hear a snapping sound as his lightsaber was cleaved in twain. This was shortly followed by another kick, this time to the chest, shoving the air out of the man.

_I hope you left the ship, Sirry,_ he thought to himself. He continued to bring his blade to mark against the single blade of his enemy. Now Lon Vorik, the Master duelist, had an edge. In a horizontal slash to slice the Dark Jedi in two, he was surprised by the butterfly Baroque did, evading the slash.

Spinning around, both Jedi found their blades locked against one another and slashed at each other's thighs, only to be deflected by their blades.

Trying to leap high over to the Jedi and slash at his neck, Vincent found himself kicked back and crashing into a wall. His ire now risen, he slashed diagonally at the Jedi Knight, only to slash air, missing the Jedi every time.

"You will die now," came the cold voice of Lon. His blade came up, facing horizontally and locking with the down-cleaving swish of Baroque's blade.

"No!" He yelled. _I won't lose everything now! Too much has happened for me to turn back!_ He reached out with his left fist and smashed the Jedi across the face, shoving Lon back.

He brought his blade to slash left and right, continuing to put the Jedi on the edge.

He didn't anticipate that his overhead cleave would once again be shoved against him as Lon locked blades and then slid it towards Vincent, driving it into the chest, claiming where the Dark Jedi's heart used to be.

The only sound that escaped his voice was air as his face was filled with the dark truth and fear: Vincent Baroque was dead.

But there was something else: Lon Vorik was dying. The Jedi looked at his right breast, where the crimson blade took hold, burning through one of his lungs. It took him a few moments to realize that Baroque must have driven the blade home when he had done the same.

Lon Vorik had moments to live. He felt himself losing air and losing strength as darkness crept around the corner of his sight—more so than the shimmers of the Force had--, overpowering him. "I did it, Simon," he said, as he collapsed on the floor. "I did it." He found sleep to be tempting him. Closing his eyes, he could only hope that Sirry had found a way out.

He felt the shimmering of a young boy giggling, saying, "come Master! I found a way home!" Lon Vorik smiled and knew darkness before flames consumed him.

* * *

Sirry continued to move as quickly as she could. She had placed 3 of the four charges already. Time was running out for everyone. The Republic vessels continued to rain energy upon the _Inferno_, while the Sith warship held its own against the stalwart defenders. Time was running short.

She ran through some of the corridors, her stealth belt's power source still running active. But she was tiring out quickly—one of the disadvantages when she was running for two. Luckily, she was only a month pregnant, so she could handle herself, to some extent. She ran across a corridor where she took cover, looking around and making sure that she wouldn't be spotted. Before she even left, she ducked back as a conduit overloaded from the continuous energy the Republic vessels poured into it.

"Blast," she said as she watched the safety force fields take over. "Need to find a new way," she muttered.

Looking around, she spotted another corner around the bend where several crumpled forms of Sith troopers lay.

As she continued to look about, she ran into the corridor only to come face to face with the girders of a collapsed deck.

"Stars' end," she sighed. Looking about, she found a door to another room that made her smile. She could plant the explosives there. As she continued to move towards the door, she tapped the console to open it.

Nothing.

She tapped it again, hoping she didn't err.

Again, nothing.

She sighed. "I hope I get to kill the man who designed these ships."

She looked around; taking care to make sure no one was around. She deactivated her energy pack and removed a computer spike that allowed her to slice through the terminal's systems to allow her to open the door.

She found herself eager to override the door, but not just that, whatever systems she could get a hold of. As she cycled through the available system commands, she found one of particular interest: security camera.

Smiling, she opened that file and began to cycle through different portions of the ship. Several sections caught her interest as she noticed barracks' full of Sith soldiers. Opening up several security commands, she gassed several of the rooms and overloaded terminals, conduits and whatever else she could get her hands on. It was better this way to leave a path clear to the hangar bay.

As she returned to unlocking the security doors, she heard someone behind her cough and heard the cocking of a rifle to her head.

"Don't move," came the near audio-like voice.

"Wouldn't dream of it," she said as she sat there, waiting for the weapon to fire.

It never came.

In an instant, the ship lurched, forcing the Sith soldier to fall away and giving Sirry the time she needed to slide back and withdraw her blaster and fire several times into the soldier; 3 times in the chest, 2 times in the face.

He never even had time to scream as he was sent back, scorched all over.

She looked around making sure that no one else would come in to surprise her. As the door opened, she made her way inside, and the sight before her eyes made her smile a malicious grin.

She walked into an armoury. An armoury littered with energy packs, grenades, mines, even several proton cores.

_Leave it to the Sith to let their stuff float around._ She carefully planted the explosives and armed the several proton cores as she made her way out, running for the hangar bay. She switched on her stealth belt, camouflaging her, as light shimmered against her.

Jumping across the bodies and ducking into corners, she avoided whatever danger had remained within the vessel. Somehow, the vessel was almost like a tomb. The vessel continued to shake, from the repeated fire it was taking by the Republic group.

_This ship is just a time bomb waiting to go up._ She continued running as fast as she could, dropping her gear except for her blaster pistol. She jumped into the turbolift, as it closed and took her to the hangar bay level.

All she had to do now was escape and rendezvous with everyone else on the planet and hope that Lon and Simon made their way safely.

As the door opened, she walked outside and found the pristine hangar bay. There sat several sub-orbital shuttles, along with a handful of Sith fighters. She looked around and saw something that once more made her smile.

It sat there, a non-reflective silver, marked with carbon scoring in some parts, with its oblong twin engines, dagger shaped hull. Just above its delta-shaped wings was a name: _Vaapad_. The vessel was a former _Gargoyle_-class gunship. Aside from some minor scoring, the vessel was in exceptional shape.

She clambered aboard, hoping that Sekula would enjoy the ship very much when she had it touch down on the planet. Flicking several switches, she cold-started the gunship and removed the landing gear as the repulsorlifts allowed the ship to lift off.

The engines flared to life as the gunship left the hangar, leaving the now battered warship to its fate as it took damage from the cruisers. Several moments after the _Vaapad_ left the warship, the vessel split open in a torrent of flames, becoming a massive fireball, with nothing left. In that instant, most of the Sith fighters stopped firing against the squadrons of Republic fighters, most likely from shock and in disarray at their only hyperspace capable mothership gone.

She found her thoughts turned to Lon and Simon—did they survive the explosion? They had to; after all, they were Jedi. If she survived that, certainly they did too. As she piloted the ship towards the location Dante and Sekula were, she saw fire rip through the area, dousing the target site in flames.


	24. Wrong us, shall we not Revenge?

_Wrong us, shall we not Revenge?_

He ignored his brother and the commando—he even ignored the Twi'lek who had collapsed again. They didn't matter; nothing mattered now except for _his_ pathway to absolute power. Power was all the enticed him to the Dark Side. And _nothing_ would stop him. He would destroy everything around him before he would accept defeat.

He leapt further into the tunnels. The darkness only lit by the colours of his blade and Phaete's blades.

Lotus rose, ready to stand by her Master's side, only to feel every bone in her body begin to ache and suddenly grow in pain. She collapsed and found herself flying far, far away, into another tunnel with no end.

He brought down the entrance in front of her, burying her alive. He _wanted_ Phaete. If no one would pledge their allegiance to him, then everyone would die. Seth was alone, Nathaniel was right. But that only meant he was destined for greatness.

He brought his blade in an upward slash, eager to kill the traitor.

Phaete sidestepped and brought his blade facing the ground towards the crimson blade that had sought his genitals.

Growling, Seth spun about, bringing his blade to slice Phaete in half—only to be greeted by the same blade again. He found himself recalling so many years ago the fight between Revan and Malak. _Yes_, he thought to himself. _I will be _unstoppable! He let his rage pour itself around him, eager to embrace the Dark Side. He found comfort and sheer power. His eyes glowed a strong yellow as he raced against Phaete, bringing his blade high and low; swinging side to side and watching as his movements were defined by a crimson so dark and deadly that it could have been infinite blood.

Phaete found himself pressed back, his calm demeanour now one of feral instincts. He poured his own hatred into his movements, a carefully measured strike, but moving just as fast and deadly, parrying and blocking each thrust, lunge and slash that came his way.

Seth continued to power on through each strike, gathering speed as he sliced for Phaete's stomach, head, horn and leg all at once. There seemed no limit to his furor. Each time his strike came close to within a killing blow, it was harmlessly glanced away.

Phaete only continued to enrage the Sith Lord. But he knew one thing that was slowly becoming painfully obvious to any spectators as the fight continued to rage throughout the caverns, coming closer to a donut shaped chamber: Phaete was losing to Seth's onslaught.

And just as quickly as it had started, it had ended. Phaete brought his emerald blade upright to block a horizontal slash, only to feel a searing pain at his wrist. Looking down and grimacing, he saw a cauterized stub where his hand used to be. "Ugh…" he managed out of his tightly sealed lips.

Grinning wildly, Seth brought his blade high before his head. "And now, _traitor_," he spat, "you shall die."

Before Phaete could protest, let alone _plead_ for his life, Seth had lopped off the poor soul's life. Only a shocked expression had found itself on his face, as his head bounced and rolled around on the worn floor.

* * *

Rising slowly—and groaning in pain—Dante looked around and found a cave-in where Lotus had previously been, and to his right, he saw the good Captain semiconscious, bleeding profusely from his back, where the armour was separated. He looked around again for his beloved, only to find her coming around, from the massive wave that Seth had unleashed in his fury. He knew there would be no turning back now; not for Seth, at least.

He went to the Captain and brought him to lean on the wall, trying to see if he could bring the man to his senses.

"What—what's happening?" He asked, his voice slurred and finding himself unable to move his legs and left hand. "My-my hand… my legs… Dante?"

"Rest, Sekula," he said calmly as his hands traced the outline of the commando's spine. "It appears that your spine has been shattered in several places." He looked sympathetically at his companion. "I don't know what I can do, Sekula."

His eyes opened wide with fear. "My spine? I can't feel my—,"

"I know, Sekula. You have some movement with your right hand. I need you to stay here; perhaps there is something in a medpac."

"Don't worry, I won't be going anywhere," he replied weak-heartedly, trying to replace his expression of grimace with a smile.

Resting one hand on the shoulder of the commando, Dante could only nod for his companion. _This is not going well and we haven't even found it yet_. Without rising, he sensed the presence of Rin behind him. "Can you do anything for him?" He asked her.

"I don't know. I am not that strong in healing with the Force. The only other person was," she paused.

"Who?" The Knight demanded.

"Tun."

His shoulders sagged. They had lost the only one who probably would have been able to heal the commando. He rose, looking for the medpac, hoping that perhaps there was something to help his long time friend.

He spotted the gleaming pack in front of his very eyes, covered with several limbs of the droids. He lifted it up and flipped it over, eager to see if it still functioned. The entire control panel and readout system was shattered. Their last medpac was gone. He turned around and walked towards his companions. He sensed his brother coming closer. He only had a matter of seconds before he would be forced to stop him.

"So," Sekula started, breathing in each word, "did you—did you find it?"

He looked even more sympathetically at his friend. His look told the commando the answer.

"Oh," he said weakly. Well, don't worry. I have enough fight left in me. I ain't giving up."

"No," Dante said quietly. "And we won't either." He looked at Rin as he kneeled down. "I'm going to channel the Force to you, Rin. Do whatever you can to heal him. We're getting out of this, together."

She nodded and closed her eyes as she turned the now unconscious Captain on his stomach. Pressing her hands on his back, she gasped as she felt herself showered with the Force. Her hands and body tingled as the living Force and the life force flew from her and Dante into the man they had come to know as their friend.

She felt the tingling sensation grow, as strength continued to pour into her and out of her rapidly, urging the cells to begin to heal. She felt the cells begin to race alongside the fractures, minute and major, as they began to swell in number and wrap themselves around the spine, and began to strengthen it.

They continued to race lower and lower, swelling in number and rapidly producing and branching the platelets together.

Sekula began to moan slightly, regaining some feeling in his right hand and movement in his upper torso.

"It's working," she said. "It's working! I can feel it." As quickly as she continued to concentrate, urging the cells to work, she felt herself growing faint. She felt Dante growing faint.

_No, _he urged through the Force. _We need to continue, we can help him! _

She felt herself growing faint. The cells began to slow down, no longer working their way down. They began to focus on one of the platelets, taking time to reproduce and repairing the torn muscle and bone. They began to slow. They began to still.

Rin grew weary and collapsed as she heard Dante do the same. He fell on the floor, most of his energy gone from pouring too much of himself within her. She still had strength, but she had grown tired. She used her strength and rested Sekula upright on the wall, as she turned around and saw Dante lying on the floor, weak and fighting off darkness.

They felt the dark presence standing in front of them, a silhouette that stood out in the darkened cave. His face was marred; eyes were yellow with no trace of its natural exuberance. His hair—or whatever was left of it—was a shocking white, while the Dark Side seemed to spiral around him and away from him at the same time. It was like a poisonous fume that wafted its way along the tunnel corridors, coming ever so closer towards the weakened Jedi.

And just as the crimson light rose, it vanished, along with the figure as a crackle of blue energy threw the Dark Master away and further into the tunnels, into the dark chasm that lurked at the edge of the tunnels. The only thing Rin heard was the scream of a Dark Lord and the rise of another.

She stood there, her crimson blades in hand, as if she were a bat out of hell. Lotus Xa rose, covered in dust, and caked blood on her lips and forehead, her eyes gleaming with the promise of bloodshed. She glanced at the Twi'lek and then looked back at the semiconscious man. She smiled darkly and stood triumphant; things could still work out the way she had planned. Dante seemed a much desirable—and albeit perfect—candidate. "And now," she said, her short cropped raven hair flying away from her, "you're mine, Dante!"

And in as quick as it was deliberate, she let out a primal scream as her blades descended on the tired form in front of her—

--to be deflected by the X of two sapphire blades.

"What?" She finally mustered out, in shock, as she was sent flying away by an invisible hand.

"If you want to kill him," Rin said, dark rage visible on her, "then you'll have to go through me."

"Good," she replied, wiping the blood that formed on her lower lip, "I will be looking forward to gutting you." With that, she lunged at the Twi'lek with both blades screaming for blood.

Rin brought her blades up to block the lunge, parrying both blades as she locked them one over the other with her blades. Growling, she brought herself close to Lotus, smashing her elbow across the Sith's cheek, dazing her for only a moment.

Spinning around and regaining a sense of her surroundings, Lotus only continued to grow in anger as she brought both her blades aiming high and low towards the Knight, who was forced to repeat the same manoeuvre to deflect the blades.

Rin continued to be pressed on her heels as she continued to deflect each thrust and slash towards her, while she moved deeper into the tunnels, as only the sparks and the lightsabers lit the tunnels.

Lotus brought her sabers up in a cross-slash, eager to do away with the Knight, noticing that perhaps she might have found another equal. But she knew that Dante was the key to eliminating the Twi'lek. Slashing and finding her blades brought apart, leaving her chest wide open, Lotus kicked out, knocking the air out of her foe, while spinning about to slash at the Jedi's throat and stomach.

Once more, Rin found her blades and continued to block.

As both duelists parried and feinted and slashed wherever they could find an opening, they continued to traverse through the tunnels, deeper into the spiral of the donut shaped chasm, as the center of the pathway continued to radiate darkness and a never-ending fall for anyone foolish enough to slip.

Rin slashed across the face and throat of the Sith, only to watch her blades crash and lock against those of Lotus.

They both continued to push against one another, the Force augmenting their strength as the four blades crackled with being stuck to one another.

Both Jedi's expressions were one of a grimace, as their eyes continued to lock with each other as much as their blades did.

Spinning around and attempting to slice Lotus' hands off, Rin brought herself around, only to feel Lotus mimicking the same move. As she came to a full 360 degree turn, her left elbow once more found the same spot on the Sith's face, sending her back.

Grunting, Lotus regained her composure and raced at the Jedi, bringing her lightsabers to face up and down, eager to cleave her enemy in however many pieces she could.

Anticipating it, Rin crouched, extending her right leg away from her body and let her swords fly around her, the Force guiding it, as a sapphire barrier forced Lotus to smack the blades away from her.

Leaping high into the air and behind the Twi'lek, Lotus thrust out with both blades at the Jedi's back, only to come crashing into the pair of sapphire swords.

They once more began a deadly dance of colourful blades as they moved deeper into the now red-lit room. They were coming closer to the entrance of a large tomb as now statues that stood at 30 feet highlighted the rest of the broken stairway down.


	25. A Deed of Dreadful Note

_A Deed of Dreadful Note_

He rose, looking around and feeling the sense of anger around him. He saw Sekula, resting upright, still unconscious. Dante looked around for Rin, seeing nothing. He reached out into the Force and felt her fighting the fight of her very life. "No," he whispered as he knew that Lotus was beginning to gain the upper hand in their fight.

Calling his lightsaber to his hand, he began to race down to the tunnels, knowing that whatever fate awaited Rin, also awaited Dante.

* * *

She arced her crimson blades high and low, forming a small M, while Rin did the same, forming a horizontal M.

They continued to lock eyes on one another.

"You won't live much longer," Lotus spat.

"Neither will you," Rin shot back as she snap-kicked Lotus in the stomach.

Gasping for air, Lotus barely managed to block the downward slashes that Rin had made on her. This gave her enough time to twist her wrist and slash horizontally with one blade, nicking the hilt of one of the sabers, shearing it away.

Rin leapt back as she watched the energy flicker out from her left blade. Casting it aside, she tried to reach for another blade—the lightsaber of Tun Kira—only to be forced to block with her single lightsaber.

Lotus wasted no time, bringing her lightsabers to force the Jedi on the defensive, allowing no room for error, she arced her blades all over, pressing Rin back.

Spinning her blade in a counterclockwise fashion, Rin allowed herself to be pushed back, noticing that there were two large, solid doors that might lead to where their quarry lay.

Forcing all of her concentration on Lotus, she dismissed the ripples that told her Dante was coming. He was racing to get to her. He was racing for her life.

Lotus locked her blades against Rin's own single blade, forming an X. She could only smile as she knew that Dante, her _true_ quarry lay only a handful of seconds away. Unfortunately for her, she didn't know that it bought Rin all the time she needed, for one of the Twi'lek's hands extended, presenting a chrome cylindrical object that ignited a _violet_ blade that came speeding towards her neck.

"No!" She screamed as she put all her weight on one leg and kicked away, forcing the blade to come within a hair's breadth from cleanly slicing her head off.

Catching Rin off guard, Lotus rose, bringing one of her swords to slash downwards, while one blade moved horizontally towards her stomach.

Rin blocked her blades and felt Dante just a moment away.

* * *

He leapt the last few feet, curling his legs to his stomach and flying over the worn statue that stood tall and proud. As he landed on his feet, he turned around in time to watch Rin lock her blades with Lotus.

Lotus saw him and smiled as she guided her vertical blade down, slicing through the violet blade's hilt as she spun around. Knowing she had caught Rin off guard, she continued to let one hand guide the other blade, while Rin tried to regain her footing, while the other blade found itself buried within the chest of the Twi'lek.

"No!" Dante screamed for what seemed like an eternity as he saw Rin collapse to the ground with a surprised expression. He saw her fall to the ground as the crimson blade was released from her chest, leaving her there to die. He watched the sapphire blade in her hand wink out of existence as her hand left the activation plate and moved to her chest, as she could barely call out his name. The sound of her lightsaber clanging onto the floor filled the cryptic silence.

"Dante, I'm sorry."

"Rin," he sobbed as he fell to his knees.

He felt her drifting ever so slowly away from him.

Lotus smiled as she walked slowly towards him. "Leave her be, Dante. You knew it would come to this. She was never rightfully yours in the first place."

He looked up, his anger rising. Lotus had done this and for what? For something she would never have—and _he _would make sure of it!

"She is a Twi'lek, you and I—we're _human_. You know that you must leave her to this fate. But you," she extended her hand, almost sympathetically, "are someone who deserves more."

"And I suppose this is your way of telling me to give in?" He rose slowly, his eyes burning with an intense hatred of this woman—this _thing_ that took life away. "You want me to give into _passion_? Into making the Force my _weapon_ as easily as the one I have in my hand? You want me to have _power_?"

"Yes," she said, allowing his anger to rise as she began to speak earnestly towards him. "You can give in, let your passion strengthen you. Allow yourself to let go of her, give yourself to _me_! Together, we can _rule_ the Galaxy, side by side—as _more_ than Apprentice and Master!"

"_More_ than," he said, rather than ask. He clipped his lightsaber to his belt. His hand went to the silver cylinder that was Rin's remaining lightsaber. His black clothing was covered in dust, yet it seemed somehow _darker_, almost as if it were a window to the sheer malice and malevolence that lived through him. "Lovers," he said thoughtfully. "Is that what you've wanted this whole time?"

"You've left a mark in me no one else has," she admitted silently. "Come," she beckoned. "Join me."

"I left a mark in you..." he replied, as his mien became darker. "All right," he said, resignedly. "I'll be _yours_—"

She could only smile as she embraced him.

"As you make your peace in the void!" He hissed as his lightsaber tore through her torso.

Screaming in agony and shock, she only looked at him fearfully as he brought his palm up, throwing her into the gates.

She brought both of her lightsabers up as his single blade came crashing down, roaring in anger. "How's this for _love_?"

He brought his blade across her face, forcing her to block it, as he continued to slash side to side and his blade became a whirring propeller of death.

Hard-pressed, Lotus found herself losing strength as her body began to suffer from the torn ligaments and the hole through her body.

His blade moved incredibly fast as anger and hatred and remarkable sadness poured through him. His blade arced high and low, slamming across both of her blades as she tried mightily to stop his relentless onslaught.

She extended both of her hands to her side, eager to draw him in and kill him as he would kill her—eager to die as something akin to _lovers_. She had never admitted it to Dierak or anyone else—but from the beginning, she found herself drawn to the Jedi. And now she would find herself dead at the hands of the very same Jedi.

Anticipating her strategy, he strafed back, then lunged, arcing his blade to his right.

She gasped as pain raced along her arm—from her shoulder to her back. She collapsed as she looked at her right arm, to see an azure shaft of light through her chest, just under her shoulder, but through the shoulder blade.

Dante enjoyed watching her in pain, watching as she would beg for her life. He wanted to cause more pain to her. He wanted her to suffer, knowing that she would _beg_ for death before he would willingly grant it to her. He wanted her to—suffer as Rin? He withdrew his blade, knowing that she was dying and would die for a long time. He was saddened to see that the Dark Side continued to eat at him, consuming his very being and tempting him to no longer flirt, but to become one with it.

But he let go of that fear—it too led to the path of the Dark Side. Instead, he looked upon the Dark Side with no fear, but with respect. It would always try to consume him, but he knew that he could always keep it at arms' length, ready to use it to protect others, but never to become a slave to its will.

He walked away, leaving her collapsed figure to pant heavily, and allow pain to wrack and writhe along her body. He raced to Rin, clipping the lightsaber to the other side of his belt and wrapping his arms around her.

"You—you didn't give in," she said weakly.

"No, Rin. Never." He smiled weakly as tears began to blur his sight. Wiping it away, he looked at her, wanting to gaze on her and try to keep her alive.

"I'm dying, Dante," she said flatly, knowing that he would never accept it.

"No, no, you'll be fine, dear. I promise. Come—," his voice broke as he continued to cradle her in his arms.

"Nothing can stop that now," she said as she smiled softly to him. "Just promise me you'll live on. You will go on for the both of us."

"I will, Rin. I will never let you go."

"I know, Dante. I know. I will always be yours. I shall always stay safe in your arms," she whispered before her eyes closed and her expression let him know she began her eternal sleep.

He closed his eyes and kissed her forehead and cried for what seemed an eternity.

* * *

He awoke, waiting and looking around. He could move his arms, but he knew he could not move his legs—if only for a while longer. His left arm was weak, but he knew he had better control over his right. It seemed the only one that still worked properly.

Hearing a shuffling sound, and footsteps that approached, he mustered whatever strength he could to use his right hand to lift his left arm—eager to grab the pistol that still remained in that hand. Fumbling for it, he knew that Dante and Rin might not have survived; that he might be the only survivor. He tapped several keys on his wrist comlink, and saw something that made him smile grimly: the Republic task force had arrived.

Dante's plan to send encoded short-burst transmissions to the Republic had worked—and in time, no doubt. Now, Sekula tapped the keys and waited for the confirmation of a missile strike on this location. It was better to make sure that no one would walk out of here alive, than to let the artifact fall into the hands of the Sith.

He prepared himself as the confirmation signal came in.

The footsteps continued to approach—though somewhat haphazardly.

Raising his blaster towards the pathway, he saw a figure carrying the body of a Twi'lek female.

"No," he whispered as the minor light revealed a distraught Dante.

"Sekula," Dante said. "It's just me." Those words hurt him as the truth echoed. _Just me_, he thought lamely.

His eyes wide, he screamed, "Dante, down!"

Before the Jedi could reply, he dropped as he felt a dark wave speeding towards him.

"No! Don't leave me!" She screamed as two crimson bolts tore through her other shoulder and stomach, sending her flying down into the black void that was the center of the spiraled pathway. The echoes of her scream were sent upwards as Lotus continued to fly through the hole, never to be heard from again.

"Women," Sekula muttered. "Dante," he called out. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, thanks," the Jedi replied as he rose.

"Good, now let's run! The Republic is going to launch a strike on this place!"

"Perfect," the Jedi replied smartly.

"We don't have much time—," before Sekula could even finish, Seth rose from the rocks.

"No!" He screamed. "This will not end! I refuse to finish!"

"This guy just doesn't quit, does he?" Sekula shook his head, feeling stiff and sore.

"Seth, it's over," Dante replied. He couldn't care about his brother anymore. Too many had died and it was just enough.

"No," Seth replied as he brought the thousands of limbs of droids towards each other to form a barrier around the only exit from the tunnels. "It isn't over until _I_ say so!" His other hand emitted an orange flash that seemed to almost _weld_ the droid limbs together to form the barrier. His face was cut and bleeding once more, his armour had been scratched and dented. But his expression was fierce and determined.

_Sighing, Dante removed his lightsaber. "Let's finish this, Seth. Once and for all." Igniting his blade, both Jedi charged at each other, their blades hungering for the blood of the other._


	26. Blade Dancers

_Blade Dancers_

Dante leapt high into the air, twisting his body as his blade flew straight for Seth's head. There was no more going back. There was nothing more than to fight for his very life.

Seth raised his blade horizontally; blocking the blow and forcing Dante back as he shoved the Jedi. "What's the matter?" He teased. "Are you afraid, Dante?"

"No, I am no longer afraid, Xavier. I am more powerful than you shall ever be. I am in tune with the motions of the Force. You race against it, seeking to control something beyond your grasp. You seek to control an entity that has allowed you to thrive. For that, I shall bring you to the end, my brother." He arced his blade upward as Seth growled and lunged—bringing his blade inches within impaling the Sith.

Racing towards his brother, Seth slashed left and right, rotating himself and pivoting his legs as he extended one out and slammed Dante across his stomach. He grinned maliciously. They had begun to make their way lower into the chasm before them.

Dante brought his sapphire blade—the one blade that had become so attuned to him—to form a shield as he spun it clockwise, countering and thrusting at Seth's own slashes.

They both fought to kill one another. There was no more artistic grace in this fight, as there was a desire to bring each other to the other side. It was just a fight to the finish.

Seth, using the power of the Force, arced his blade up, and then brought it low, towards the Jedi's thigh as he suddenly brought the blade across Dante's stomach in a blur. He had become an unstoppable juggernaut and Dante was hard pressed.

He had to use everything in him to block each thrust and slash at his body. Seth's blade had become a whirlwind of crimson death. But Dante was in tune with the Force. He knew it wouldn't fail him. Not anymore. He gave into his primal energy, his instincts and gave into the fountain of the Force. He went beyond any form of power the Dark Side had held.

They continued to trade thrusts and parries with one another, neither gaining ground against the other.

Seth feinted left and brought his blade slashing down, eager to claim the leg of Dante.

Anticipating a move that he had learned from Nathaniel years ago, Dante strafed back and thrust his blade towards the ground, locking against the crimson blade that was where his leg had been but a moment earlier.

Seth pulled back and then slashed upwards, aiming for Dante's shoulder as he watched the younger Jedi—his brother—block the strike and continue to move deeper into the chasm.

Both Jedi spun their blades opposite to each other and thrust at the same time, locking blades and using all of their strength to win the lock.

"What's the matter, Dante?" Seth said in between breaths. "Can you not feel the power of the Dark Side? Are you bearing witness to _my_ power?"

Dante flipped his blade over into his other hand, surprising Seth and sending the Sith stumbling as Dante began a backhanded assault, pushing the Sith back where they had come from earlier.

In a blur, Dante spun around and felt the crimson blade arcing towards the nape of his neck, only to clash against the blue lightsaber that Dante swung overhead.

"I won't let you defy me!"

Controlling his grip, Dante brought both lightsabers over his head and pushed it away from his chest. His feet were close to the edge of the stairway as Seth kicked at him, sending the Knight over.

He reacted quickly, calling on the Force to pull Seth's cape and pull him down as well. Both Jedi made their rapid fall to the base of the chasm, as both of them exchanged blows with their lightsabers arcing around their bodies and proving the only source of light—with the exception of an amber glow that seemed to be growing.

Dante used on hand to hold tight on Seth's lightsaber as their blades once more locked. He stared him in the eye and knew that if death were to face them, then he would gladly end his life to make sure that the Sith never got their hands on the holocrons.

Seth used every ounce of strength in his body and floated across Dante's body and reached out with his knee, having the pleasure of feeling it connect against the younger Knight's ribs.

He gasped for air and loosened his grip only to watch his lightsaber fly away and wink out of existence as it sparked from the slice Seth had taken time to commit as the sapphire blade went floating away.

Calling on the Force—with whatever reserve he was tapping into—Dante extended his palms in front of his body, feeling the air that rushed past him slow until he was able to duck and roll as he landed on the ground. He found himself crashing into a few minor rocks as he rolled on the surface.

A moment later he heard the thud of feet hitting the ground. Obviously Seth had the mind to do the same—and he was much better at it than Dante.

He forced himself up and felt something at his side—it was a cylindrical object that belonged to Rin. It was her lightsaber. He pulled it from his waist and ignited the sapphire blade. "This is not over, Seth."

"So I can see," he gazed approvingly. "You'd make an excellent apprentice."

"No deal," Dante said as he closed the gap between the two and lunged.

Seth was forced on the defensive as he parried the thrust and committed himself to a riposte only to crash against a metallic bracer. _Cortosis_, he thought admirably. _It would appear my brother is much more resourceful._

Dante spun about and brought his other bracer to smash against Seth's temple, causing his sight to blacken for only a moment. It was all the time that Dante needed. He slashed left and right, forcing Seth back in the circular arena.

Seth arced his blade upright as he deflected two horizontal slashes from Dante, only to twirl his blade counterclockwise to prevent himself from being skewered.

Dante leapt back and waited for Seth to slash at him. He got his wish.

Seth slashed at the Jedi, racing from his shoulder to his thigh, only to be deflected and feel a kick to his stomach. Gasping for air, he moved back as Dante screamed, knocking the crimson blade away from reach and in a fluid motion, curved his blade towards the chest of the Sith as Seth gasped once more. Searing pain ran through his chest and he closed his eyes for a moment, only to open them and watching his brother so close to him—almost as if it were an embrace. He looked down to see a shaft of blue energy through his chest. It was over and he coughed, feeling all strength rush away from him.

He saw his brother, covered in sweat and determined—as always. He had made a great Jedi after all. Seth knew time was running short for him. He had mere moments before the world became total and utter darkness to him. "I'm glad—I'm glad it was you. I am glad," he said, coughing, "that we're together now. It is as it should be…," he finished weakly as he drifted to sleep.

Dante closed his eyes and rested on his brother. "Rest well, Brother." He stood there, embracing his brother, for another eternity until he heard a shuffling.

"Dante?" A voice echoed. "You there?" It was Sekula.

"I am all right, Sekula," he shouted.

"Oh, that's good," the commando replied. "Now move your butt! There is a baradium missile heading for us!"

_Always on the move_, he thought to himself. He extinguished the blue energy in his hand. He stared at her lightsaber for a few more moments and hooked it to his belt. _Rin, my Love, I'm sorry it turned out this way._ He moved back as Seth's form slumped and fell to the ground.

Seth's corpse carried a familiar object on his waist. It was a bronze, bulbous ended, cylindrical weapon. Dante could scarcely believe his eyes. It was the lightsaber of Jedi Master Alec Ness.

He reached for it and felt it come to his hand. He replied softly, "I believe this is mine."

"Dante!" Sekula called. Urgency and desperation filled his voice. "Move your butt! This place is going to blow!"

_The Unifier!_ He realized. It was useless. The mission was a failure from the start and it was the end of this fight. He turned around and found a stairway that led from the tomb of the 30-foot statue to the top of the caverns. To freedom.

He called upon the Force to augment his abilities as he raced for the top, eager to fight for survival. As he raced higher and higher, he heard a loud explosion as pieces of droid limbs flew away. He reached the top to see Sekula waiting for Dante.

"Come on, let's go!" The commando urged his friend.

Both men raced out of the caverns and leapt as they felt an intense wave of heat wash over them and a shockwave thrust their bodies far, far away.

As he leapt from the explosion, Sekula turned his head and could have sworn he saw something silver—a cubicle object—come flying towards him as he found instant darkness.

He could hear a whining sound as he found himself on the ground. He knew something—or someone had come. But before he would know who it was, Dante knew that the world had gone black all around him.


	27. Way of the Force

_Way of the Force_

_It was a beautiful sight, to see the blossoms flying as if they were violet flakes of snow in the clear blue sky. He found himself sitting under the shade, his back to the large tree that kept him at peace. He smiled as the gentle breeze sought his face, cooling him and reminding him of all the times he had under this very same tree. _

"_Dante," she called to him. He looked up to see two figures: a human with skin as bronze and seemingly like a nimbus into itself and another one, a blue skinned Twi'lek who stood beside the other woman, arm in arm. _

_He rose as he saw them both and he was astonished with them. "Jade and Rin," he whispered in awe as they smiled and came towards him. "I thought you were both…," he looked down at the ground as he remembered their deaths. Jade died at his hands and Rin had died at the hands of Lotus. _

"_Dead?" Jade asked. She nodded solemnly. "We're both sorry that you have to be on your own, but know that we are here with you. As one in the Force."_

_He looked at Rin and looked at Jade once more. "I don't know—can you?" He couldn't even find the words he was looking for. Surely it must have been awkward for them both—a past love and a current one—to be near one another. _

"_We were over a long time ago, Dante. It was time you had moved on. I died when I left the Order to join the war. I died when I broke your heart all those years ago. I died before the first stroke of that blade came at me."_

"_And I am sorry that I wasn't strong enough," he said. "To save the both of you." He dropped to his knees and lowered his head, feeling the hot burst of tears come streaming down his face as he was forced to relive those horrible moments. Moments he had buried deep within him. _

"_Dante," Rin said as she came to him, to lift his chin up. "It was not your fault that we had become one with the Force. It was our time—it was the _will_ of the Force. But you must be strong; you must know that the Galaxy still needs you. The time of the Jedi may be coming to its end, and you are one of the few who will be responsible for the survival of the Jedi."_

"_But how? How can I live on when I know that I've lost everything once more?"_

"_The same way you lived on once you lost me," came another voice, behind Dante. It was the voice of Alec Ness._

"_Alec?"_

"_Yes, Dante. We've all come—your brothers included."_

_Dante was surprised. Could that have meant Xavier? Before he could even ask the question, two forms appeared behind Alec—both were identical in every way. _

_They both smiled and the three of them hugged each other. Dante felt the warmth of his brothers and knew that in the end, Xavier had found the Light._

"_Dante," Alec spoke. "Time is growing short. You must continue living. For us, for the Force and most of all, for those who will need your guidance and help in the years to come."_

"_But how can I live on?"_

"_You are strong Dante. You will find a way. The Force guides us all on different paths. In time, you shall come to join us. But for now, you must live. The Galaxy is changing, and the future is always in motion. You must remember pass on what you have learned. You are the first of a new breed of Jedi. And in time, we shall truly be at one with the Force when the Galaxy has found its peace. For now," Alec continued, his voice drifting farther and farther, "you must live one and awaken…"_

"_To be alone forever?" Dante murmured as he felt himself floating away, into darkness._

"_Never," their voices spoke as one. "You will never be alone—for as long as you have the Force, we shall always be with you."_

* * *

"Dante?" A familiar voice echoed in his head. "Dante? Are you awake?"

Dante moaned as he opened his eyes, to see the concerned looks of Sirry and Sekula. "I'm fine," he mustered as he gathered a bearing on his surroundings. "Where are we?" He asked a moment later.

"On board the _Guardian_," came a familiar growl.

Dante rose and got up from the medical cot and noticed a golden-furred wookiee. "Frreral!" He exclaimed as soon as he realized the wookiee had survived the ordeal at Gateway.

Frreral rushed towards Dante, giving the small human a wookiee-like hug. After a few more moments, Dante looked at his companions and couldn't help but smile at the fact that at least they had made it out. "What happened?" He asked Frreral and Sirry.

Both of them went into great detail about their encounters, about the destruction of the _Inferno_ and the arrival of the Republic task force. Frreral had even told them about the _Guardian_ picking him and Flin from the station and were en route to a major strike operation on a battlestation known as the 'Starforge.' It was there that they had defeated Malak, thanks to the help of Carth Onasi, a group of Jedi, including one Bastila Shan and another familiar figure; one who was on board the _Guardian_ at that moment.

"You're telling me _Revan_ is on board?" Dante asked his companion, as Frreral chuckled at the tone of disbelief.

"Yes," the wookiee started. "In fact, he's looking forward to meeting you."

"He?" Sirry asked in confusion. "I thought Revan was a 'she.'"

"Well, no one really knew who Revan really was. Now Revan no longer wears the cape and mask. Revan has been redeemed to the Light Side."

This caused a slight groan from Dante. "We failed in the mission," he murmured. "But the war is over, yet I failed all those lives that were still counting on us." He sighed as he realized that Alec and the others had been sorely mistaken in putting their faith in the Jedi Knight.

"Dante," the commando said, waking the Jedi from his reverie. "I found something you might find useful." With that, he tossed a familiar cube-sized object towards the Jedi, who caught it deftly.

"Stars' end," Dante whispered in awe as a blue-hued image appeared. The figure was obviously old, small in stature and had two long elfin ears. It was a humanoid that happened to be the exact same species as Master Vandar.

"_The Force_," it began to say, "_is a mysterious thing. A river it can be known as or a path along the mountain. The Force, will bridge all and separate into its own paths. The Force is as sentient as you or I, young Padawan. It encompasses us all into its plans, pushing us on ahead as if we were a raft in a stream, sailing towards the unknown. _

"_We may fear this unknown, and there are those who do not like the idea of being controlled by this unseen entity. There are those who wish to harm it. They are known for the Dark Side. _

"_There are those who wish to embrace the Force and seek to do its bidding. They are known for the Light._

"_But Light and Dark are nothing more than perceptions. The Force is all embracing and if you embrace it by losing these perceptions, then it will guide you towards perfect harmony. This is the way of the Force—the Unifying Force…_"


	28. Epilogue

_Epilogue_

It had been weeks since he had seen the holocron. He had begun to attune himself to the will of the Force. He knew that whatever fate the Galaxy had in store for him, he'd never be alone as long as he had the Force. And the Force, would always be there for him, embracing him as if he were its very own child.

He had returned to Coruscant and had finished addressing the Council on his mission. He had found himself eager to return to his quarters, where he could find some rest. Dante had spent quite some time getting to know Revan—a person who had also come to respect the younger Jedi. Over the time, they had become good friends and had even attended several of the mass celebrations that were held in Revan and Bastila's honour.

Now, Dante only found himself standing in the Council Room, watching the city's hustle and bustle. The sun was setting and the normally azure sky was painted aflame with the amber and violet streaks that spread across the city. The vehicles that sped along the sky seemed nothing more than embers in its never-ending flame. He wore the Jedi's traditional robes and brown cloak that covered him. He found it somehow warming, a past reminder of where he had come from and where it would inevitably lead him.

He couldn't help but smile. _Some things don't change_, he thought as he felt himself more in tune with the vibrations and ripples of life throughout the planet. He knew that the Force would guide him—would guide the _Galaxy_ to true harmony. The war would soon come to its complete end and perhaps the restoration could begin. Already Telos had been targeted as a plan for—hopefully the first of many—restoration projects. The Ithorians would watch over the project and perhaps they would find a way to allow the Galaxy to heal and help bring a shattered Republic back on its feet. But for now, the Force would guide the rest of the Galaxy to peace.

* * *

Somewhere, in the darkened corners of the Galaxy, a figure sat alone, staring at the open space. The figure was biding its time. The Galaxy would know true pain and power of the Sith when the time would come. For now, there will come a time when the _True_ Sith shall rise.

Revan had only delayed the inevitable. And nothing—not even the vaunted powers of the Force could stop the rise of power.

The figure smiled, perfect sharp teeth glowed radiantly through the darkness it basked in. _In time_, the figure thought, _the Galaxy shall know Darkness beyond its own nightmares. In time, the Galaxy shall once more be ruled by the Sith._

The time would come. Revan would need to be lured back into the fold as the weakened factions warred against the Galaxy. No one—with the exception of Revan, Malak and Traya—knew of the power of the True Sith Empire. Revan would need to be called on soon enough, and Malak was already dead. Traya was nothing more than a beaten, crushed little animal that was cast out to die.

The Galaxy would once more fall into the fold of everlasting Darkness. The Jedi would never know what hit them.

* * *

**Author's Note: I would just like to take the time to thank you all for being very supportive and generous in your reviews and I would like to thank you all most especially for reading my fanfic. This has been my first serious fanfic--and complete one at that-- and I am thankful that you all enjoyed it. I hope you look forward to reading many more of my fanfics in the upcoming future. And I will have a sequel to this one shortly-- with Revan (to some degree), the Exile, Atton and Visas being involved in the primary storyline. I've been thinking of other characters, but as far as I am aware, these ones will be playing out the next installment of this set. One more, I would like to thank you all for reading this, and I look forward to reading your fanfics too. Until then, May the Force be with You...**


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